Sentimental
by BeeJay98
Summary: Friendship, love, weakness. All these are equal in the eyes of the master assassin, but still he cannot avoid such things. He is weak, but he'll be damned before he lets that stop him, especially when the cost could be the only people who ever gave him a chance.
1. Chapter 1

**Have I ever told you how much I love you guys? I posted my first piece on Sunday after almost a month of writing it, and on the first night I got the greatest review I could ever have hoped for. To the two of you who took the time to send me a private message, I'm looking at you Tinyshygirl125 and kewlstory, you guys are absolutely amazing. It is for that reason that I am posting this piece here today.**

 **Tinyshygirl125, you asked for Zed x Syndra, and thus you shall receive! I wasn't entirely sure which path to take after The Heartseekers, but I'm so glad I've started writing this now, it's a lot of fun. So please, read on, and I hope you enjoy.**

Chapter 1 - Absolute Control

Zed really hated architecture. It wasn't that he had grown up in Ionia, where the way a building faced could have religious significance, but simply because it was so overwhelmingly boring and meaningless. As he stood under his turret, nothing to do but look at the warrior-like statue as the minions waddled their way towards their inevitable demise, he was disappointed to realise that architecture was all he could think of. He had joined the Institute under the assumption that his prowess as an assassin would be put to good use, not wasted on petty shows of strength against other people who's egos were a thousand times larger than they should have been. He had long since given up wondering who would approach him across the lane; they were all the same to him. That wasn't to say he didn't get some interesting match ups, he often looked forward to going up against the young pyromancer or the maniacal yordle bomber, but if he had to go up against another damn Du Couteau, he was sure he'd murder himself. After what felt like a small millennia the minions finally found there way to the middle of the lane, and Zed lazily stepped forward to start slaughtering the little blue ones. How low he had stooped.

His thoughts were cut short however with a sudden smack to the back of his head. He turned, throwing out his duel blades but cutting nothing but air. Another hit came from behind him, and this time he pivoted on the spot, swinging his blades around him in a flurry, but once again colliding with nothing. Laughter filled the air, and his opponent stepped her way out of the nearby bushes.

"That's certainly a different technique." The mage walked with a certain degree of pride, but it was the fact she was walking that surprised Zed the most. He was certainly not unaccustomed to fighting mages, but he found it hard to remember the last time, if ever, he had gone up against this particular one.

"Syndra, wasn't expecting to see you here." She offered a weak smile, raising her arms as she lifted into the air, hovering so that she didn't seem as short in comparison to the assassin.

"I do get picked sometimes you know?" Zed scoffed, which caused Syndra's shoulders to slump a little. In the end she decided to respond with another ball of dark energy, which Zed now expertly sidestepped. The two continued to farm in silence, which Zed welcomed. He was so sick of having to verse people who bragged about every little bit of poke damage they got on him; it was pathetic really. Syndra would smile when she hit him, and nod when she was hit, the pair both acknowledging their respect for their adversary.

 _Ionia may put too much influence on architecture, but at least it's champions still seem to have honour._ Zed found himself watching the dark mage as she fought. There was an undeniable eloquence to her actions, the simple flourish of her wrist as her magic manifested to the way she almost danced through the air as she ducked and dodged his abilities. Her technique was quite mesmerising.

It wasn't until a terrible shriek came from the jungle that their peace was broken, Syndra taking off at a sprint-like pace into her own jungle. A few seconds later a voice boomed over the arena, announcing a kill for Zed's team. Syndra returned looking a little battered and bruised, clearly not coming out of the fight well either. Zed seized his chance and leapt at her, using his shadows to get so close that she had no hope of dodging his abilities. The technique was brutally effective, and Syndra's body slumped down in front of him, sad eyes looking at his face before she collapsed face first to the floor, the voice announcing another kill for Zed's team. Years as an assassin had long since desensitized him to death, but he couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret at the loss of Syndra. It wasn't even her fault that he had gained an advantage, so he couldn't see any honour in what he had done. She returned to lane, evidently disheartened.

"That was rude, you know my teammate set me up there." Zed just shrugged.

"Not my fault, you should have backed." Syndra just returned to farming, confusing Zed. He was clearly becoming way too accustomed to people wanting to argue every decision he made. Zed expertly sidestepped another purple orb, only to have a second thrown at him from his other side. He stepped back, then realised the mistake he had made. Between him and Syndra was the first orb, and Syndra noticed this. In a flash of purple Zed found himself knocked back, the orb colliding with his head and dazing him. He could feel more orbs hitting into him and his body screamed at the pain. He was forced to his knees and looked up at Syndra, who finished him with one final orb.

Zed had grumbled his way back to mid-lane, where Syndra had just came back herself, not making the same mistake of overstaying. She seemed so calm, and it was really beginning to bug Zed.

"Welcome back." Zed growled, a little bit annoyed at having been solo-killed after having an advantage.

"Don't sound so cocky, I killed you first, remember?"

"And you let that advantage go to waste. You should have backed." Zed's own words used against him. Suddenly he thought that the incompetent mages and assassins he normally faced might not have been too bad. But Syndra didn't seem to care less about Zed's thoughts, resuming her farm as though nothing had happened. Zed kind of just stood there, missing a couple of minions before throwing his blades at Syndra, which she sidestepped, throwing him a curious glance afterwards.

"How do you do it? I know I'm probably here a lot more than you are, but don't you find the others to be…"

"Self-obsessed, egotistic and narcissistic?" Syndra smiled, and for a moment the haunting purple glow seemed to dim. She waved her arms and the small orbs that orbited her form lined up, and she stepped across them without so much as faltering. It looked like a simple act, but just like how Zed could jump from shadow to shadow, he knew the technique required would be much more difficult.

"Perfect control. When you hold power like I do, you can't afford to have anything less."

"Perfect control? You don't think that's a bit narcissistic yourself?" Syndra shrugged, returning her orbs to orbit.

"It's true none the less." Zed smiled beneath his mask. He couldn't remember the last time he had actually enjoyed himself in one of these fights.

The two shared a knowing glance for a couple of seconds, and they both knew what was about to happen next. Zed jumped shadows and threw his blades, barely missing Syndra, who responded with orbs of her own. One just clipped Zed, stinging a lot. Seeing the damage she had done, she picked up a nearby minion and flung it at the assassin, but he was gone by the time it arrived. Suddenly he was all around her, attacking her from all angles. Syndra sent out a wave of energy, knocking Zed back. Zed barely had time to look up before the stream of orbs slammed into him, knocking him back until his body slammed into the wall behind him, and still they kept coming. He felt blood trickle from his nose, knowing he wasn't getting up. He laughed before he collapsed, content in the fight. Syndra looked down at his body with something akin to sadness before sitting down herself, waiting for Zed's death-mark to take her own life. She fell forward, their bodies lying together on the ground.

In spite of the two Ionians going completely even for the entire game, Syndra's team soon fell behind, courtesy of an incredible snowball from Zed's jungle. Zed approached their team after the game, like he did every time, to show his respect for their strength during the game, and like every time, they were all gone.

"Typical. Do these people have no honour?"

"That's a little bit harsh." When she wasn't hovering, surrounded with dark magic and her orbs, she looked so very normal. Zed on the other hand was still in his full body armour, making him the ever-intimidating threat he was, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Seeing Syndra like this was somewhat unsettling for the assassin, but she had seemed nice enough during their fights, so he figured he could tolerate it.

"This whole forsaken Institute is built on the back of peace and cooperation, and yet nobody even stays back to show some respect. It's disgraceful, not just dishonourable."

"You are too tough on other people. Not everyone has such rigid views on honour as you do." Zed scoffed, turning away from the mage.

"Since when are you so kind-hearted? I thought you were supposed to be the oh-so-scary Dark Sovereign?" Syndra cringed, looking at her hands before clenching them, refusing to meet Zed's eyes.

"It's not that simple." Zed wasn't sure what prompted him to do it, but he came over and put a hand on Syndra's shoulder, a comforting gesture that was so rare, both to her and from him.

"I'd be interested to hear more about it." Syndra's eyes shot to Zed, trying to read anything behind his mask, but failing. She wasn't sure what to say, had he just asked her out? If he had his body language didn't show it, although Syndra was fairly sure she was blushing. Zed laughed.

"So much for perfect control." Yep, she was definitely blushing. Zed turned and began to leave, a very stunned Syndra still standing where she was. He turned back to her before leaving the room.

"I train at the institute every third day, starting tomorrow. I'll see you there." And he left, not waiting for her answer, although he was fairly sure he knew it already. He didn't waste any unnecessary time as he made his way to the room that would take him back to Ionia. Nobody actually knew where Zed was transported, although they knew it was none of the major Ionian cities or the Order of Shadows. Zed favoured secrecy above all else, and he wouldn't risk the location of his beloved Order to the summoners of the Institute, who as far as he knew still assumed he operated from the temple they seized from the ninja order. Fools, every last one of them.

After finally finishing the regular malarkey of declaring goods he found himself standing in the middle of a clearing, the beautiful ancient oaks of Ionia rising up on all sides around him. In all the years since he had come here in his youth, he never failed to marvel at the beauty of such a place. He still remembered that first day he had come here, back when his few aspirations revolved around pleasing his master and beating his rival. As much as he hated the truth, it had been one of the Kinkou that had shown him this place, and if she desired she probably could lead Shen and the others here. He was putting his faith in the hope the forest meant as much to her as it did to him. He started walking, taking seemingly spontaneous twists and turns as he did, just as a means of ensuring nobody followed him. On more than one occasion he found himself jumping from shadow to shadow, just for the extra security. Some would label him paranoid, but better that than being caught. The forest got thicker and thicker, and soon Zed took to the treetops to continue on his way until he reached what he was looking for. The new temple for the Order of Shadows was nowhere near as spectacular as the Kinkou's old temple, but it had something that temple never could; discretion. He dropped from the trees to the front gate, where three of his greatest warriors waited for them, on guard just as he had trained him. They bowed when he stood before them, rightfully showing him respect. He paid little head to them, making his way into the temple and through the training grounds. He felt no small degree of pride at how many people he had recruited to the Order since his attack on the Kinkou, and every time he saw the leagues of ninjas going through the delicate techniques he had taught them, his heart leapt.

His personal quarters were on the third floor of the temple, secluded from all the other residents. Inside was a simple bed, Zed often preferring to wander at night, as well as a desk that was currently piled with reports from his numerous generals on the progress of their units. He sat down, beginning to read his way through them, but his mind anywhere but in his work. His thoughts turned to his game that day, fond memories gracing him for what felt like the first time in ages. Syndra. Zed was intrigued by exactly how little he knew of the mage, especially since she was probably the only other Ionian champion he didn't despise, and didn't despise him in return. He put the reports back onto the desk, leaning back in the wooden chair. He found himself laughing at the situation he found himself in. The greatest assassin in all of Ionia was left confounded because of one fight, and with a mage no less! He suddenly found himself really looking forward to tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Weakness

For the third time that day Zed found himself carrying a destroyed dummy out of the Institute's training room. He had a simple philosophy when it came to practicing; if you don't fight like you could die, then you deserve to die. He treated every dummy as though they could strike back at him at any moment, feinting imaginary swiped and jumping non-existent magical strikes. He already had a thick coating of sweat covering his brow, his breathing steady but deep. He made a point of coming down early so that the other champions knew to give him space, and would train until late or until his body simply refused to move anymore. The latter rarely happened. Today however was different, and he found himself spacing his exertion, keeping his body firmly within the realm of painless. Breaking his moral code for a girl, he hoped she'd appreciate his sacrifice to seem like pleasing company.

When she finally made her way to the training centre, she wasn't sure what to expect. She hated to believe she cared what the assassin thought about her, but the truth was she was a little nervous. She was one of the greatest threats to Valoran, friends were not easy to find. If Zed had even the slightest potential to be one, how could she possibly say no? She could hear him long before she saw him, grunts and bangs filing the echoing halls she walked down. She waited by the doorway before entering, waiting for the sounds to die down. Eventually they did, and she rounded the corner, fully composed as though she hadn't been waiting outside for him.

"Good morning Zed." He grunted, going back to throwing his blades at the dummy. Syndra stood there somewhat awkwardly, not sure what he was expecting her to do, so she decided to take a seat and wait until he talked to her. This gave her an opportunity to properly take in the assassin, something she struggled to do in their fighting yesterday. It was hard to get an idea for what he was like beneath his armour, but the way he carried himself on slightly bent legs and back straight made her imagine that his chest was probably the strongest part of his body from all the pressure it was put under. In spite of the bulky armour and his presumably toned body, he moved quite swiftly, feet skimming across the floor as he positioned and repositioned himself within simple moments. Syndra found herself drawn into the pattern of his movements, memorising them, for future fights of course.

"Are you going to stare at me the whole time or are you going to train?" Syndra was suddenly brought back to reality, blushing a little at being caught unawares.

"I'm a mage, using my abilities on simple dummies does nothing for me."

"Fair point." Zed slowly stopped himself, pushing the dummy towards the far wall and taking a defensive stance while facing Syndra.

"Don't tell me you intend to fight like that?" Zed followed his words with two swift blades, which Syndra deflected with her magic, shooting herself into the air at the same time. Syndra retaliated with some orbs of her own, only to have Zed shift to a shadow behind her, rendering all the attacks pointless.

This continued for some time, both throwing spells and weapons at each other while dodging constantly. Sometime during this both had started smiling and laughing, genuinely enjoying the risk that their lives could end at any moment; this was not the Rift, death was not so simple. Syndra inevitably landed some abilities, giving Zed the odd burn even through his armour, while Zed successfully gave Syndra the odd cut in recompense. Eventually the injuries stacked up, and they reached a mutual decision to stop fighting, leaning against one of the walls and sharing a drink of water that Zed had brought with him that morning.

"You fight well, for a mage." Syndra smiled, accepting the compliment as the best Zed was probably capable of. She looked at the scratch on the back of her hand, the largest she had received in the small clash. It stung, a lot, but she didn't really mind. She'd have more than enough time once she returned to her home to fix it up. At the moment, it had a strange beauty to it.

"You're not too bad yourself." Zed took another swig of his drink before putting it back in the small cooler he had with him.

"So, oh great and powerful Dark Sovereign, care to explain your situation to me." Syndra's face darkened at Zed's words, and he instantly regretted saying them.

"Do not call me that. I am Syndra, not that… monster." Zed shifted so he could see Syndra's face better, now deeply curious.

"Ok then Syndra, are you willing to tell me?" She didn't say anything, looking straight ahead as though in deep thought. She stayed that way for a long time, and eventually Zed leant back, content in waiting for her to reply. She did speak eventually, but her voice lacked lots of the confidence it normally had.

"The Dark Sovereign is a metaphysical being, a power source if you want. I can call upon that power with my magic, but in doing so I gain some of her personality; her ruthlessness, brutality, violence… When I am not channelling my magic I am very much normal, with normal emotions, which does extend as far as kindness, not that you'd know much about that." Zed grunted, not offering any meaningful response.

"What's your excuse, where does your evil reside?" Zed looked at Syndra for a moment, before reaching up and loosening his mask. He let it drop to the floor, revealing a series of horrible scars across his otherwise flawless face.

"I'm merciless and ruthless because that is all life has ever been to me. When you live how I live, survive what I have survived, you realise there is little room in this pathetic little world for sentiment." There was a long silence, neither willing to say anything, Zed leaving his scars open for observation.

"I don't believe you." Zed looked across at Syndra, raising an eyebrow at her words. She didn't meet his gaze, but put her hand on his shoulder, much like he had done to her yesterday.

"Everyone has some kindness within them, they just need to figure out how to use it." Zed shook her off, standing up and putting his mask back on.

"Not everyone." He scooped up his weapons, making his way to the exit before being stopped by another of Syndra's orbs. He didn't give her the courtesy of watching him turn around.

"I'm done Syndra, leave me be."

"And I'm not done, so deal with it." Zed clenched his fists, lowering his voice to almost a whisper, but letting out a rumbling growl which made the hair on Syndra's neck stand on end.

"What do you want with me?" He felt her come up behind him, her hand hovering slightly above his shoulder before being retracted, her clearly thinking better of the contact.

"I want you to stay and talk. Please, you may claim to have no kindness, but you've been nice to me so far." Now Zed turned, anger in his voice.

"How can you be so weak? You are supposed to be the greatest threat to Ionia, yet you would let yourself fall victim to such a meaningless sentiment as friendship. That is true weakness, and I will have no part of it." Syndra slapped him, no magic behind it, but Zed could still feel it through his armour. He was sure her hand would be throbbing from the contact, but she showed no sign of it.

"If you genuinely care so little for me or my feelings, why did you bother asking me here?" She stormed out of the room, leaving Zed standing dumbstruck in the training room. He slipped his fingers below his mask, feeling the position on his face where her hand had collided. As he had assumed, the metal armour had cut into his cheek, and small rivulets of blood were trickling down to his chin.

 _Maybe she's not as weak as I assumed._

He couldn't bring himself to continue training, instead making his way through the Institute with the intention of returning home. Ten minutes later, he found himself standing in the same clearing, the same ancient trees greeting him. Rather than turn to the temple, he headed off in the other direction, following an equally well-known path to him. Soon he found himself in the ruins of a village, burned out houses surrounding a simple dirt road. The village was pretty much built into the forest, constantly under the cover of foliage, which made it a wonderful location for a ninja who manipulated the shadows. Zed still had no clue what the story behind the village was; he had never found mention of it in any Ionian reports or maps. The only other person who knew about the village, as far as he knew, could shed no light on its origins, but claimed it had been destroyed during the Noxian invasion. Either way, the vision of desolation reassured Zed of his morals and endeavours, and he made a point of visiting the village whenever he found himself doubting his incentives, even if he had promised his friend long ago that it would be their place to share. He rubbed his temples at that train of thought; not wanting to go down that rabbit hole while Syndra was already playing with the wiring in his brain. Eventually he found himself in the centre of the village, grass covering the small clearing that had probably once been the main square. There was a crack of thunder overhead and a slight drizzle of rain began to make its way to the ground. Zed couldn't care less about the rain, the faint pattering as it collided with his armour offering, if anything, a soothing rhythm to the normally dead silent village. He set himself down in the middle of the square, crossing his legs as he emptied his mind of worries. He focussed entirely on the rain, the world seeming to slow as he pictured the shape of every droplet as it fell, the tip flicking up into a point, the explosion as one collided with another, sending many more droplets in a whole manner of directions, all to fall until reaching the same fate as their parents. One could not help but marvel at nature's ability to mimic life so vividly.

When Zed finally returned to the temple that evening he was in a much better state than he had been upon leaving the Institute. That being said, he bypassed all the students in the training grounds and aspirant generals seeking his wisdom, retreating immediately to his floor for some well deserved rest. He threw himself upon his bed, taking his armour off as he let his back sink into the soft mattress. Today had been too busy already; any paperwork could wait for another day. Once he was rid of his armour, enjoying the freedom of wearing nought but the singlet and shorts, he allowed himself the privilege of sleep, closing his eyes. His duties, however, did not have as much respect for his desires. A knock came upon his door, instantly waking him from his rest, and irritating him in no small degree. He went over to the door, opening it to take in whoever was on the other side. The poor messenger who had been tasked with this job was already beginning to regret his decision to knock, and seeing Zed with no armour on seemed to fill him with even more dread, as he knew quite well the master assassin's opinion on his sign of weakness. In that moment however, Zed was too exhausted to properly care.

"This had better be important brother." The messenger held out his hand, offering Zed a red-tied scroll bearing a black wax symbol holding it together. Zed recognised it instantly.

"You must be mistaken brother, I do not carry out contracts, can this not be delegated to one of my generals?"

"My orders were to bring this directly to you sir. Apparently it is for your eyes only." This was an odd situation indeed. Zed usually only carried out his own assassinations, working on the idea that the Order needed to prove its prowess with warriors other than himself. He hadn't carried out a generic contract in some time.

"What makes your superior think this is worthy of my time?"

"Apparently the mentioned reward was incredibly high, my master thought it best that it be handled by you." Zed sighed.

"Very well, I will read it and pass my own judgement. You may leave." The messenger hurried away as fast as possible, leaving Zed to look over the contract himself. He approached his desk, laying the contract down and looking at it for a little. Eventually he conceded and, taking one of his knives from his armour, broke the seal, unrolling the scroll so he could read it in full. Once he was done, he set it down on the desk, and leant back in his chair. He ran his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh.

"What did you do?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - A Dark Contract

Meditation had never been Syndra's cup of tea. She had been taught the basics by her old master in an attempt to control her magic, but she had never had the concentration or patience to master it. It wasn't that she didn't try, but that when she wasn't channelling the Dark Sovereign she had next to no focus. She could criticise Lux and other champions like her for how they act, but she knew that without her magic, she'd be much the same. Everything seemed to get her attention, from the noises of cicadas to the faint brushing of wind through leaves. Anything that could get her attention got it, which made tranquillity an impossibility most of the time. Usually the time she dedicated to meditation turned into training, but after the strenuous session she had with Zed yesterday, she was willing to at least try relieving her mind. But after an hour of trying to shut out the outside stimuli, she was prepared to quit. That was when she heard it, the unmistakable sound of boots on grass. Nobody was supposed to be at her home, she lived on flying island to ensure that was the case. She began to let the dark influence take hold, summoning a group of orbs in her lap, ready to lash out should she be threatened. The footsteps stopped, and she waited a moment before acknowledging the person.

"If you take one more step, you'll lose your legs."

"And I thought I was supposed to be the ruthless one." Zed began walking forwards again, assuming Syndra's threat did not apply to him. He was proven somewhat wrong when he was swept off his feet, finding himself thrown onto his back as a group of orbs held him down. Syndra stood up and walked over to his prone form, a look of anything but pleasure plastered onto her face.

"Oh Zed, you should be careful, seeing me three days in a row, people may think you are beginning to make a friend." She mockingly put her hand over her mouth as though in shock, before flicking the orbs off him and allowing him to stand up. He got up onto his knees, catching his breath. Syndra could cause a lot of harm when she was angry.

"What do you want?" She had set herself back down where he had found her, except she now faced him. Zed reached into his armour, pulling out a small scroll with a black seal.

"Somebody wants you dead." He threw the scroll at her feet, and she picked it up, reading it over. Her eyes seemed to get larger as she went, and her jaw physically dropped as she read the last line.

"Yeah, it's a large reward."

"Who sent you this?" Zed shrugged, setting himself down next to Syndra.

"No idea, discretion is kind of the key to our business. But whoever they are, they're willing to do a lot to have your head." Syndra felt a chill go down her spine at the thought. She knew that the dark magic she used led to having enemies, but seeing it written out made it seem so much more real.

"What do we do?" Zed chuckled, unsettling Syndra a little.

"What do you mean 'we'? I have a contract." He wasn't on his feet long enough to make his comment even vaguely believable. In a matter of seconds, he was hanging about ten feet in the air, a very angry Syndra staring at him from the ground.

"How can you joke about something this? It's my life on the line!" Zed made the mistake of looking down, realising a drop from this height would be dangerous, even with his abilities.

"If I was here to kill you, I'd have tried already!" Syndra couldn't argue with that. Slowly she brought him down, but she wasn't prepared to take her eyes off him just yet.

"So, what do we do?" Zed had been asking himself the same question on his way here. The moment he had read her name, he knew he wouldn't be able to complete the contract, even if he'd wanted to. Part of that was due to her being a supremely powerful mage, as well as a champion of the league, which meant she was protected from the other champions, but mainly because he didn't think he could bring himself to end the only person in some time that had at least tried to be nice to him. His first thought had been to take her to the Institute, but quickly figured if someone was offering a reward this large, even the summoners could not be trusted. As he also did not trust any other city-state, he was left with one of two choices, neither of which really took his fancy. The first, though he hated to consider it, was to somehow get the Kinkou to protect her. As much as he hated the group, they were honourable, and he knew that if they swore to protect her they would do exactly that. However, that would involve getting in touch with the group, which was not just unpleasant but extremely difficult. Which led to the only other alternative.

"Come with me to the Order of Shadows." Syndra couldn't resist laughing, assuming the request to be a joke. When Zed did not join in her reaction, she blushed a little before actually considering what he had said.

"Don't you guys operate out of one of the most famous temples in Ionia? I'd imagine that would be a little obvious." Zed put his face in his palm, shaking his head at her ignorance.

"Why does everyone think that my order is so naïve? The only way I can truly guarantee your safety is if I am close enough to fight if need be, which means you'd need to go where I go, which is not the damn Kinkou temple."

"Guaranteeing my safety? Who's sentimental now?" Zed did not take too fondly to her humour, but couldn't really argue the point. Yes, he was being sentimental, breaking his moral code for her. She had better realise how much that meant.

"Yes, I'm being nice, don't make me regret it." And with that went any sense of compassion Syndra had been getting from him. Friendship was still only a potentiality.

As Syndra's island was no secret to the citizens of Ionia, she couldn't say no to the offer of protection. So, after she had time to pack a few of her belongings into a small bag, she found herself hovering through the forests of Ionia towards her temporary home.

"How far away is it?"

"Too far to walk the whole way, but I have a different plan." As he said this they stepped out of the forest into a clearing. In the middle of this clearing was a small shadow, which was strange, as it seemed to have no source. It really didn't have any shape, just a black blotch in the middle of the glass. Zed took Syndra's hand and started running, almost dragging her behind him. When he touched the shadow Syndra felt her stomach flip, her body going into panic at the unnatural sensation. A moment later she was on the floor retching, but upon feeling the much cooler, greener grass, observed the forest around them instead. This area was far more ancient than the small area Syndra called home, the trees looming like giants, leafy arms covering her from the sun. The grass was slick with moisture, showing it had probably been raining some time that day. Ghost-like shadows were projected onto the floor, turning the clearing into a natural mosaic. This was probably the most beautiful place she had ever visited in Ionia.

"To this day I do not know what this area is called, but yes, it is truly beautiful." Zed was beginning to make a habit of reading her expressions. For someone with 'perfect control', she was pretty easy to read. Zed himself stood in the centre of the clearing, following the same ritual he did every time he returned here. But now, standing here with Syndra, his thoughts were clouded once more, a new emotion seeking its way into his already confused collection towards the mage; guilt.

 _This place was always my sanctuary, and now it can be ours._ Those ancient words echoed in his mind, a voice he had tried so hard to forget coming back to haunt him. He was thankful for his mask, for the fact Syndra could not see his confliction.

"Is there any civilisation here? It seems too… pure."

"There was a village once, but it was destroyed, probably during the Noxian invasion." Syndra looked around the clearing, contemplating that idea.

"Strange for Noxians to leave such a beautiful place unblemished." Zed honestly had never considered that, but it certainly put a spanner into _her_ theory. He felt another twinge of guilt at the thought, but again supressed it.

"Would you like to see the village?" Syndra nodded, and soon Zed was leading the way through the forest towards the same place he had visited yesterday. Once the first of the ruined buildings came into view, Syndra's pace slowed, her excitement dissipating, replaced by something much darker. She could almost feel the sorrow in the burnt wood, the rivers of blood beneath the ground, blood of a people once peaceful, now gone. She felt herself overwhelmed, and soon her breathing felt strained, her heart beating unnaturally fast. So much death.

Zed took her hand, the feeling of fleshy fingers getting her attention. Next to her, Zed had removed his gauntlets and helmet, hanging them off his belt as they walked. Syndra's breathing began to get easier, and soon her heart was beating normally.

"I felt the same way when… a friend brought me here for the first time. It's as though the souls of the dead still reside here, longing for freedom. I thought I heard one of them once, a faint weeping in the back of a blackened house, only to find nothing but a family of mice. It's a sad place, but in time it became a peaceful reminder, a reason to fight." Syndra heard his voice from a distant, barely recognising this Zed. The great and stalwart warrior talking about fighting for the lost, for protecting those who never had the chance to protect themselves. How can he call upon such emotions but still claim it as a weakness.

"Do you think you are weak Zed?" His eyes were still looking forward, but his hand seemed to grip Syndra's a little harder.

"Yes, in every possible way. I found my technique through rage, my home through friendship and my motivation through sorrow. I am a broken soldier, but I will be damned before I let that stop me." There was the unquestionable relentlessness that was Zed, something she never thought she'd be so happy to see in the assassin, but it felt more appropriate than the brooding he seemed indulged in at the moment. They continued like this for some time, walking through the deathly silent village, hand in hand, submerged in their emotions.

As the sun began to set and the shadows grew darker, Zed led them back towards the temple.

"From what we could tell, the temple was the only thing not destroyed with the village, which isn't that unusual. Religious places are often considered bad-luck to destroy." As the Foliage got thicker and Zed took to the trees again, Syndra hovered ahead of him, her movements much easier. When the temple came into sight she gasped at the beauty. The foliage crawled its way along the outer walls, but the three-story building stood with such radiance that Syndra felt as though she should avert her eyes at the beautiful construction. She wondered if Zed could appreciate the architecture as she could, but decided that she'd rather keep this moment of awe to herself. Zed caught up and dropped to the floor, Syndra following. As they walked through the grounds, ninjas seemed to be leaving the main courtyard from all directions.

"Training would have just finished for the day, most people will be heading off for dinner." At the mention of food Syndra's stomach audibly grumbled. She laughed.

"Dinner doesn't sound too bad." Zed smiled, his own hunger evident to himself.

"I'll talk to one of the chefs about getting some food sent up."

"Sent up? Where do you stay." Zed pointed to the top floor before making his way inside. Once they had scaled the stairs, Zed taking a detour on the second floor to request some food, they found themselves in a small hallway. Zed pointed to a door on his left, then his right.

"That is my room, and that will be your room. I don't usually have guests, so I am hoping the room is acceptable." Syndra just smiled, reaching for Zed's hand like he had done in the forest. Upon the contact, he pulled back, before clearly having second thoughts and letting Syndra wrap her fingers around his. The sensation was warming. They stood there for a moment, both a little awkward and unsure what to do. Eventually Syndra pulled away and made her way into her room, not saying anything as she went. Zed looked at his hand, still feeling warm from the mage's touch. It had been a long time since he'd felt anything akin to this, the last time being with… He stopped the thought there, entering his room and setting himself down upon his bed. His food arrived a few minutes later and he ate greedily before again laying down upon his bed. This time, there would be no messenger to keep him from sleep.

Or so he thought. A giant bell rang forth, shocking Zed from his sleep. He had been preparing for that sound for years, but hadn't expected it to happen tonight of all nights. They were under attack. He quickly threw on his armour, rushing out of his room past a very stunned Syndra. He was out in the courtyard in no time, ninjas already filtering into it with him. He met the guard on duty, who was watching something in the distance.

"What is it brother?"

"Kinkou sir, heading this way through the forest."

"How many?"

"Just the one by the looks of it sir, but they are fast." Zed followed the warrior's line of sight and saw what he had noticed, the blurry figure heading their way. Zed growled, readying his blades.

"I need to train you better. That is not any Kinkou." Zed ran out the gate, never taking his eyes off the blur in the distance. As they grew close, Zed stopped, raising his palm in a stopping gesture.

"Kennen, that's far enough." The yordle slowed down and almost collapsed from exhaustion. Zed felt no sympathy, and was certainly not impressed with his appearance.

"What are you doing here?"

"Shen… Asks for… Your help…" He was breathing frantically, clearly having run a long distance even for the fast ninja. Zed was furious at those words. The last time him and Shen had seen each other, he had been betrayed and almost killed. Shen had long since lost Zed's aid.

"Shen has no right to call upon me!" Zed turned to walk away, but what Kennen said next stopped him in his tracks.

"We think… Akali… is dead."

 **Yep, a cliffhanger. Luckily for you guys, I have started on the next chapter and know where this is heading, so you can probably expect more on the horizon. That being said, I will be quite busy over the coming week, so it will take me a little longer to get it finished. Wanted to get this first part out to you just so you know I'm writing!**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little teaser, Bj out.**


	4. Chapter 4

**It's ok everybody, I survived my holiday, and this am here bringing you this next chapter. Things have been pretty hectic now that exams are finished, which is part of the reason this chapter was a little delayed, and why I am bringing you only one chapter when I would prefer to post in clumps so there is more for you to read (I am posting a one-shot as well this evening, so keep an eye out for that, it's rated M though for a little bit of language, sorry to those who don't like that).**

 **On that note however, there is another slightly more relevant reason this chapter has been delayed. I know exactly where I want this story to end up, and it started exactly how I intended, and now that this chapter is out of the way the rest is pretty straightforward. However, this chapter was supposed to be a rather important chapter because it sets up what is to come. So I wrote it out, hated it, rewrote it, decided I preferred the first, edited that, and have been staring at it for almost three days now trying to get it right. It gets the link across, I just feel it is not my best writing, but I promise things will get better!**

 **You will also notice a lot (and I mean a lot) of the fluffiness is gone this chapter. I want there to be this nice little romance, but the story I am trying to put with it is certainly not sunshine and daisies. On that note...**

 **CAUTION! There is a scene which may be a little confronting for some of you. I don't feel it makes this story M worthy, but you have been warned just in case.**

 **Anyway, hope this isn't too painful for you, because it was pretty painful trying to write at times.**

Chapter 4 - Preludes of War

It took four glasses of water before Kennen was finally able to talk properly, although there was still an evident edge to his voice. Zed had said nothing since hearing about Akali, relying on his disciples to care for the ninja. None of them were comfortable with letting him into their temple, but none argued with the attitude their master was projecting. Each treated the yordle with respect, forcing themselves to bow as though he were a superior. Kennen looked a little awkward at the respect, and Zed was not entirely comfortable with it either.

"What happened?" When he finally spoke, he had made sure to remove all the emotions he had been feeling. He hadn't spoken to Akali in years; he didn't want Kennen to think he still thought about her.

"We're not entirely sure. We were set up in the forests just outside of Navori when we were ambushed. They were clad in black garbs, their features indistinguishable. At first we thought it was your order." Zed scoffed.

"My order would have more honour than to hide who we are."

"You sound like Shen, that's exactly what he said. When we finally caught on to the attack, we were overrun. Those of us left just ran, putting as much distance between them and us as possible. They…" Kennen choked up, tears welling up in his eyes as he struggled to continue.

"They weren't interested in any prisoners, everyone who got in their way was killed. We lost so many. Once we were convinced we had gotten ourselves to safety we counted our numbers. At least half of us had fallen behind." There was a small muttering that went through the gathered warriors, and Zed silenced them, although even he was astonished at the statistic.

"And Akali?"

"She was among the missing. Shen sent me here when things calmed down. It sounded like he expected you to help us." Zed was just about sick of hearing about Shen's faith in him. Was his reputation really that soft?

"Did they say anything about why they were there?" Zed tried to sound as devoid as always, but the words were so clearly forced. Kennen paid no heed however, looking pensive for a moment, as if considering how much to reveal. Zed was not in the mood for secrets.

"If you have something to say, just say it."

"They kept talking about protecting Ionia, but that didn't make sense. Isn't that what we stood for already? We thought that maybe they'd spare us, the ones with the institute, but the way they killed with such recklessness, they weren't checking to see who they were killing." Zed could only imagine how hard it was for him to admit that, because it meant all the less likelihood that Akali was alive. Unlike the champions of the Institute, those outside of the Institutes influence did not have the same laws around harming champions, which made things a lot more complex. He could feel a headache coming on.

"What exactly is going on?" Syndra practically stormed into the room, magic already surrounding her. Nobody had taken the courtesy to fill her in on what the bell had meant, or told her where she could find Zed so he could explain it. She had limited patience with such matters, and she had more than passed that threshold. The sight of Kennen sitting down and talking with Zed only worked to amplify this.

"It would seem the Kinkou have been attacked." Zed's monotonous tone and limited response did little to satisfy Syndra's curiosity, and she just stared at him until he chose to continue. Kennen looked far too terrified to say anything.

"And that I'm travelling to Navori." Kennen squeaked, almost blurting something out before remembering he didn't want to get in between the two.

"Then I'll come with you."

"Not a chance, Kennen will stay here with you. I am going alone."

"Zed, don't be stupid, you'll want as much help as you can get, besides, you were supposed to be protecting me." Syndra reached for his hand, but this time there was no reciprocation. He slapped it away, his eyes narrowing behind his mask.

"This is none of your concern, accept my protection and let me be." Zed took his leave of the pair, heading back to his room, only to be stopped before entering by a very flustered Syndra.

"What is wrong with you!? In the past three days you have seemed all over the place."

"What does that matter to you? I'm saving your life, what more do you want from me?"

"I want to know what goes through your thick skull sometimes! Are you still bent on that whole 'friendship is weakness' thing?" Syndra found herself thrown up against the wall, Zed's arm resting against her neck as he held her in place.

"Listen to me very carefully mage, I'm saving your life, show some respect. I owe you nothing, so if you continue to insult me with your outbursts, I will kill you. Do you understand?" The way Zed did not falter once during his speech was proof he was not bluffing, which brought Syndra to the verge of tears. Her voice caught in her throat, and she found she couldn't respond. He pressed against her harder.

"Do you understand?" When Syndra finally nodded Zed let her drop, leaving her gasping for air. He entered his room and slammed the door behind him.

When he finally exited his room, a small bag hanging off his shoulder, the hall was clear. He could imagine Syndra sitting in the door opposite his, tears in her eyes, and for the briefest moment he felt a sense of guilt. Then he remembered where he was going, whom he was going to find, and suddenly all feelings for Syndra were long forgotten. He made his out into the courtyard, Kennen waiting there with a couple of other members from Zed's order. Zed didn't bother to turn his head in acknowledgement, but stopped before exiting through the large set of ornate doors that marked the end of the temple.

"How did you know where to find me?" Kennen took a moment to realise the question was directed at him, then stuttered a little before taking a deep breath and responding.

"Akali told us that if we ever needed to find you, we should look here. She never said how she knew, but I figured there was no reason to doubt her. She is..." Kennen stopped, realising his mistake.

"She _was_ always the most trustworthy among us." Kennen began to sob, the noise pathetic and weak, but Zed was not about to stop him. Akali had been many things, trustworthy certainly among them, but resourceful was probably her greatest quality. Zed refused to believe she was dead, not after everything she had survived thus far, everything she had done. Zed did not realise he was still standing perfectly still until one of his disciples put a hand upon his shoulder, pulling him out of his trance. He didn't wait around to hear what they had to say, dashing off into the forest, using the shadows to speed his travel. He spent the whole day travelling, running for the most part, but shadow jumping when he could. After many years of travelling Ionia for contracts, he had an intricate network of shadows that allowed him passage to almost every corner of the city-state. Navori, being one of the larger settlements, was easy enough to reach; the difficult part was locating a group of ninjas who had been trained to remain unseen. The sun had long since disappeared before Zed started to get the feeling he was close. He couldn't see them at all, the forests around Navori were too dense for that, but he had spent enough time around Shen's type to know when he was being watched. He slowly made his way into a clearing, sitting himself down in the middle. He waited another moment or two, waiting for his sixth sense to kick in and tell him that he was being followed. As soon as he felt it, the light nagging in the back of his head, he spoke.

"I have travelled a long way, and my patience is wearing thin. Speak now or lose my aid." He waited, but heard nothing, yet his senses told him that someone was getting closer. Once his brain was practically screaming at him, he opened his eyes, instantly feeling his body tense up at the face he saw.

"It has been too long brother." Shen stood with his back straight, his eyes facing over Zed and into the middle distance, as though in a trance. His hand was outstretched, a physical sign of peace, one which enraged Zed. He stood up unaided, silently revelling in the fact that he still stood taller than his former half-brother.

"You lost the right to call me brother a long time ago." Zed scanned him over, noting that not only did he seem fatigued and bruised, but also unarmed.

"You dare approach me without so much as a sword? I should punish this show of disrespect!" Shen simply smiled, finally meeting Zed's eyes.

"Zed, the Kinkou are shattered. If you wanted to finish us off, no weapon of mine would stand in your way. Yet here you stand, talking with the person you claim to be your mortal enemy. You speak tough, but that is all you are doing, speaking." Zed growled, raising his blade as though to strike, but stayed his hand. Shen never flinched.

"I'm not here for you or the Kinkou." There was an extended silence, Shen trying to seem unimpaired by Zed's words, but his hidden emotions were beginning to show. He turned his face away, but Zed heard the unmistakeable wimper of a man in pain.

"They killed so many, students, friends, family…" Shen was fiddling with his finger, catching Zed's attention. The way he rolled his fingers along his digit was as though he was used to having something there. Zed felt another wave of foreign emotions flow over him, a surge that he fought down, allowing him to respond in his typical, emotionless style.

"You were engaged?" Shen laughed, moving his hands to rest by his side and stop his subconscious actions.

"Come with me, I will take you to the survivors." Shen began to walk off, ignoring Zed's question. The assassin followed, the new discovery playing on his mind. Akali had gotten engaged? Not only was it very non-Ionian, marriage being a far more Demacian or Noxian idea, but it also seemed nothing like her. Zed always remembered her as a stubborn individual, one who would never calm down long enough to settle down. Marriage wasn't her thing, was it? It had been so long, Zed understood this, but this simply didn't sound like the girl he had once, loved? Zed was brought from his reflections when he bumped into Shen, who had stopped in the middle of the path in front of a small clearing. Past him Zed could see a couple of small tents and fires, a collection of similarly dressed warriors wandering amongst them. The Kinkou order always seemed to endure, no matter the hardship, but as Zed stood amongst this group, the last of the once great force walking around, looks of defeat and sorrow rampant in the ranks, he realised how low that had fallen. Their numbers were far too low to ever be considered a threat to Zed's order, let alone any other group in Valoran. They would be lucky to hold their own against the Ionian guards, most of which were simply conscripted farmers and tradesmen looking to serve their homeland. No wonder they had reached out to Zed's order, they would never be able to make any move without some help.

Shen brushed himself off after his collision with the assassin, grunting before heading towards the largest tent in the encampment. Zed followed, and soon the two were seated around a small wooden table, papers laid out detailing the status of the Kinkou after the attack. Shen let out a large sigh, letting his helmet fall to the floor after unbuckling it. Zed followed suit, setting his mask upon the table, deciding that his old brother was no threat to him.

"She isn't dead, is she?" Shen's question caught Zed a little off guard, their previous conversation leading him to believe that Shen had given up hope as well. The small optimism was a welcome change to the atmosphere.

"No, I don't think she is."

"And you have come to help us?" Zed growled at this, glaring at the ninja.

"I have come to help _her_. I couldn't care less what becomes of your order after this."

"You don't get it, do you?" Shen stood, stretching before making his way to exit.

"There is no more order. As soon as we find her, dead or alive, I am leaving for the institute, leaving the Kinkou leaderless. The others will slowly dissipate, leaving you as the greatest force on Ionia. I didn't send Kennen to get help, I sent him so you could know that you've won. You being here is a result of his wishes and your good will, whether you believe you have one or not, so don't act like you didn't come to help. If you won't admit it out of honour, do it out of respect for the wishes of the dead. I'd hate to think that somewhere in the afterlife Akali is looking down at you in pity." Zed stood up, throwing the table aside as he did so.

"How dare you speak about her like that?! Just as you were once my brother, she was once my lover, and I will not let you stand here and talk about us like that." Shen seemed unfazed by this, continuing on his way towards the exit.

"So you do care about what I think? Then help me find her, or at least avenge her." The flap of the tent brushed quietly shut as the last leader of the Kinkou took his leave. Zed sat there for a while longer, lightly banging his head on the table for having fallen for Shen's trick. He hadn't thought of asking Kennen what exactly Shen had said, or for any decent information at all. Shen was right, the reason he decided to come was because he wanted to. It was for this reason that, come the stroke of midnight, Shen was stirred from his sleep by the presence of another in his tent.

"You're right, just like you always were. What first?" Zed's voice was soft, almost a whisper but with more of a growl behind it. Shen couldn't help but smile.

"That's easy, we have a talk with the people who attacked us."

 **As I said at the start, apologies for the less-than-perfect story. I will be bringing you more chapters soon I hope, definitely (I think) at least one before Christmas. Reviews and criticisms are welcome, and I am expecting a few for this chapter. Thanks for your continued support!**

 **BJ**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is by far the longest chapter I've ever written, kinda got on a roll. Not much romance once again, but I promise the next chapter will bring with it a little more of the love.**

Chapter 5 - A New Order

"When exactly did you plan on telling me you had a prisoner?" After walking off in a fit of fury to find his armour, Zed had decided a better way to relieve his anger was through asking a series of frustrated questions as Shen led the way across the camp, all of which Shen responded to with his typical calm manner, not helping Zed's mood in the slightest.

"Once you agreed to help. I wasn't going to tell you before, I've seen how you handle interrogations by yourself." Zed grunted. Assassins don't do interrogations; they simply get the answers or kill. Why would anybody want to complicate things with bargains and torture? Passing the last of the sleeping tents, they found themselves in a small clearing dominated by a set of large cages. Most were empty, but as they walked through the makeshift prison the sound of a panicked, solitary voice proved there was at least one inhabitant. The closer they got, the more they could make out what was being said.

"Let me out of here! They're going to hunt me down and kill me, don't do this!" Eventually the two ninjas reached the only inhabited cage, a Kinkou standing watch, seemingly uninterested in the prisoner's complaints. The captive's hands were bound behind his back, and his ankles were tied in a similar manner, the Kinkou clearly taking no risks after the slaughter. Although his Kinkou companions were handling the panicked screams, Zed was getting a little fed up with the yelling.

"If you keep yelling like that, you'll only make their job easier." The prisoner scoffed, glaring at the master assassin.

"Well if I can't get out, it doesn't make a difference now, does it? I'm dead regardless, at least this way I can help rid Ionia of you and your ilk." The prisoner laughed to himself, sitting himself down on the metal floor of his cell. Shen walked up closer to the bars, putting as little distance between him and the prisoner as he could.

"Where did you take Akali?" The prisoner's laughing turned into full-fledged hysteria as he fell onto his back.

"Oh you poor, poor ninja, you think she's alive! What use could we possibly have with her?" Shen looked prepared to leap into cage and strangle the prisoner. Realising this, Zed decided it was probably best for him to take over the questioning, even if it was not his strong point.

"Why did you attack the Kinkou?" The prisoner stopped laughing and glared once more at the assassin.

"I'm not saying anything." The prisoner broke eye contact to physically show his intention, but Zed ignored this.

"Why did you take a contract out on Syndra?" This got the prisoner's attention.

"I'm sorry, maybe you didn't hear me, I'm not saying anything." Zed smiled to himself, happy that he had confirmed what he had been suspecting. It seemed this attack was more widespread than the Kinkou.

"Where is your order?" The prisoner shot to his feet, pushing his face up close to the bars, a crazed look in his face. Zed wondered how much food he had received since staying here.

"Hello, is anybody in there, or have you been wearing your helmet too tight? I would rather die than tell you anything!" Zed was upon the prisoner in a moment, shadow dashing into the cage and throwing him up against the wall. For a small moment an image of Syndra, held in the same position, flashed before his eyes, causing his stomach to flip a little before he regained his control. He pressed the prisoner harder, eliciting a painful grunt from the captive.

"You would rather die? Do you know who I am?" The prisoner managed a nod, but Zed ignored it.

"I am the greatest assassin that ever lived. I have mastered the art of death, both its possibilities and its limits. So trust me, if you feel you would rather die now, you will be pleading for respite once I am finished with you." There was a long moment of silence, during which Shen drew his sword in preparation. He wanted to kill the prisoner as much as he was sure Zed did, but he wasn't prepared to lose their best chance at finding Akali.

Zed slowly dropped the prisoner to the floor, waiting patiently for a response.

"I can't tell you…" His voice was raspy and barely louder than a whisper, but his tone had clearly changed. Zed swung his blade, Shen realising too late as he jumped through the bars to stop Zed. He knocked the assassin to the floor, pinning him to the ground beneath him.

"Are you mad! He's our best chance of getting her back." Zed pushed upwards with sudden force, jumping back to his feet.

"That's exactly why I freed him!" Zed pointed towards the prisoner, who was now sitting with his arms and legs untied. He was staring at the assassin with an evident look of confusion. Zed walked over and kicked open the door to the cage, waiting for his two acquaintances to get to their feet.

"If you can't tell us where, then you will show us. Once we are there, you are free to go your own way, which for your sake I hope is far away from Ionia. You will warn us of any traps, and will lead us exactly where we want to go, or I swear you will spend the rest of your pitiful life in _my_ cages, which are a lot less comfortable than these." Zed stood aside as he allowed Shen out, followed by their prisoner turned guide. They started walking towards the outskirts of the encampment, Shen still in the lead. Once they reached it, a guard ran up carrying both Shen and Zed's helmets, which they thankfully accepted, slipping them over their heads before turning their attention back to their new companion.

"Your turn, take the lead." The prisoner said nothing, but slowly started off through the jungle, purpose evident in his posture. The small group would have walked for a good two hours under the guidance of the prisoner, a voyage that was slowed by areas of dense forest. It was once the forest began to get lighter that Zed got a nagging feeling that something was wrong, and drew his blades as a result. The prisoner stopped.

"There is a small temple on the other side of that line of trees. It won't look like anything spectacular, but once inside you'll see why we chose it." He pointed towards a collection of ancient oaks in the distance, then to a set of small bushes either side of it.

'There are guards in each of those bushes. They can't see us yet, but if we go much closer it'll be risky." Zed was genuinely impressed by how forthcoming the prisoner had become. The prospect of freedom was clearly a greater force than he had anticipated.

"Thankyou for your help." Zed pushed the prisoner, who vanished into thin air. Shen raised an eyebrow at his companion.

"What did you do to him?"

"He'll be fine, should wake up in a port town where I hope he'll take a boat to Noxus." Shen allowed himself a quiet laugh.

"I half expected you to just slit his throat."

"You must be rubbing off on me." The two smiled beneath their helmets before refocussing, stepping into a set of bushes which would allow them an unseen approach towards the temple. The two ninjas walked making next to no noise until they were able to see the two guards watching vigilantly near the tree line. Zed pointed towards the one farther away, then made a pointing motion towards himself, before doing the same for the second guard, this time indicating Shen. The Kinkou nodded, holding up his fingers in the form of a countdown. Three. Two. One.

Zed shadow jumped to behind the far guard, instantly slitting his throat to silence him. At the same time, Shen leapt the nearer guard, using his momentum to knock the unaware soldier unconscious. The two ninjas stood and met each other at the tree line, brushing off the loose leaves from the bushes.

"Been a long time since we've fought together, this should be fun." Zed smiled at Shen's words, walking through the tree line until he could see the temple. A quick scan of the area showed that no other guards seemed to be in the surrounding forest, the bushes far too thick for anyone to get through without unnecessary noise. There was a pair of guards standing in front of a small stone gateway, facing in their direction, although Zed was fairly sure they could not see them.

"If we take out the guards I fear they'll get found. It may just be better to jump behind them."

"Do you have enough energy to take both of us after transporting the prisoner?" Zed thought on this for a moment, trying to feel the shadow energy within his body. After a few seconds, he nodded. Grasping Zed's hand, Shen closed his eyes and tried to ignore the nauseating feeling as his body dissolved into pure darkness, only to reconstruct itself behind the guards. The pair landed silently, and wasted no time running further into the temple, footsteps silent and ears open for the sound of any other guards. Eventually they reached a small opening, a few guards sitting and talking around a small fire lit in the middle. Zed and Shen stayed in the shadows of the passage, ensuring they remain unnoticed.

"We're do we go now?"

"We need to find an isolated guard, one we can easily talk to without getting seen. Hopefully they'll know where Akali can be found." Shen nodded at Zed's plan, watching the group of guards intently. After a few minutes, one of the guards stood up and dismissed himself, walking alone down one of the nearby halls. Zed looked at Shen, both having the same idea. They shadow jumped again, this time appearing behind the now isolated guard. Zed instantly wrapped his arms around the head, palm covering his mouth. Shen did the talking.

"You tell us where our friend is, and he doesn't slit your throat, got it?" The guard only glared at the Kinkou, but a tightening of Zed's arms quickly extinguished any thoughts of rebellion. Zed slowly removed his hand, letting the guard talk.

"They keep the prisoners in the lower levels. The stairwell is at the far end of this hall. Just, please don't kill me." Zed hit the guard over the head, his unconscious form falling to the ground. Shen just stared at Zed.

"What?"

"Once again you didn't slit his throat." Zed growled.

"You really want to bring this up now?" Shen shrugged.

"Kind of calls into question your 'merciless' reputation." The two continued down the hall in silence, already able to feel the path sloping downwards. Zed could clearly feel the pressure on his ears as they continued; they were heading further underground. Now Zed realised why they had chosen this place and what the prisoner had meant. These halls seemed impossibly long for how the building had seemed from the surface, which made it the perfect centre of operations for a group that wished to remain undisturbed. They could use up as much space as they wanted, and nobody would figure it out unless they were looking for it. He had to smile in respect for their thinking, and made a mental note to claim the temple for his own order once this was all over. Eventually they reached the stairwell, a pair of guards standing in front of it. A few seconds later, Zed and Shen were behind them and walking down the steps.

"Maybe I should have adopted the shadow art when I had the chance. Certainly makes getting around a hell of a lot easier." A few more sets of guards were using the stairwell, each getting off at different levels. Every time another pair came close, Zed would use his shadows to jump behind them, continuing as though nothing had happened. By the time they reached the bottom of the steps, stepping into the first of the holding cells, Zed could feel the use of energy taking its toll on his body. They began the tedious task of checking all the cells. Kennen had been right, they had taken no prisoners. The few cells that contained a member of the Kinkou did not contain any living ones, the sight of the bodies causing Shen's blood to boil. They met a few guards along the way, using the shadows to either jump behind them or wait for the passing, the latter being the more preferred given Zed's fatigued state.

They were beginning to lose hope when they overheard a guard's conversation. Zed had been eavesdropping whenever he could, but most of it was idle chitchat, but this conversation was different. Zed signalled for Shen to stop, slowing himself to focus better on the two voices.

"Hey, clean this cell up. The ninja will be back from interrogation soon, and the master wants her cell cleaned." The voice was group and authoritative, clearly one of a warden rather than a typical guard.

"Why doesn't he just kill her? What makes her better than all the rest?" The second voice was more colloquial, clearly just trying to make conversation. The sound of flesh meeting flesh could be heard, the lower ranked clearly facing punishment for his comment.

"Who are you to question the master's will? Just do it!" Shen tugged on Zed's arm, getting his attention. He mouthed a word; _she._ Zed nodded in agreement, this was most likely Akali. The pair made their way around the corner, shadow dashing to avoid the guard they had overheard, now rubbing his face where a large red mark was coming up. The two continued to follow the sounds of footsteps, the ones they knew belonged to the warden. The footsteps stopped, and the sound of a door opening filled the hall. Footsteps resumed, a door slammed, but not before Zed and Shen had shadow dashed into the room behind the warden. They didn't give him a chance to respond, Zed once again taking the dominant position and covering the warden's mouth.

"The interrogation chambers, how do we reach them?" The warden growled, throwing his elbow back into Zed's ribs. While Zed had been anticipating the blow, he had not foreseen the incredible strength the warden had, finding himself winded as a result of the attack. The warden rushed Shen, who expertly sidestepped and dug his own elbow into the warden's chest, causing him to stumble. Zed dashed to the other side of him, stopping the warden from crashing into the door and alerting every other guard. He instantly threw his palm to the warden's mouth, this time wrapping his body around the warden so that he could not be so easily hit. Shen recovered, coming back over to the warden.

"How about you just answer the question." The warden said nothing, but his eyes betrayed him. The faintest flicker towards a desk in the corner of the room told Shen all he needed to know, walking over and rummaging around the papers until he found what he was looking for; a map. He smiled at Zed, putting the rest of the papers back until something else caught his eye. Picking it up, he began to read. It was a prisoner report, detailing the treatment regime for a particular prisoner. It was brutal, with obscene amounts of torture and violence. This wouldn't have mattered much if it weren't for the description of the prisoner; black hair and green eyes, female. Although the description was simplistic and not overly precise, Shen knew instantly who it was, and immediately felt his control leave him. He dashed towards the warden, digging both his swords into the man's chest. The warden's eyes widened in shock before his body slumped forward, Zed letting it drop to the floor. Now it was Zed's turn to raise his brow.

"That was a little harsh don't you think." Shen growled, looking down at the dead warden.

"If what that report said is true, he deserved much worse." There was something in the way Shen spoke that made Zed take a step back. He had heard it before, the dark change in tone. He remembered when he first heard it, the chill that went up his spine when he heard the voice. His voice.

Zed put a hand on Shen's shoulder.

"Balance in all things, that's what you always say. Now more than ever you must remember your teachings." Shen growled, pushing the assassin back.

"Who are you to preach on the Kinkou way? You abandoned us for exactly this, the life of an assassin." Zed put his hand back on Shen's shoulder, tightening his grip this time.

"And it is for exactly that reason why you must not give into it. Trust me." Shen looked up at Zed in disbelief, the way he had so easily dismissed his own philosophy astonishing the Kinkou.

"What are you Zed, because for a moment there, you sounded like the aspirant Kinkou I once knew." Zed stared off past Shen, considering the question. His thoughts turned to why he chose the way of shadows, the desire for strength. The feeling had been so overwhelming then, but it seemed so petty now. Instead he felt that surge of purpose, the need for strength quelled by his need to save Akali.

 _And Syndra._ A voice whispered at the back of his mind, confusing Zed. He shook his head, dismissing his philosophical dilemma for after this was over.

"It doesn't matter right now, let's go get Akali." Shen pulled his swords out of the warden, a final look of disgust crossing his features before they made their way out of the room. Consulting the map, they began to make their way towards the interrogation area, shadow jumping as required. Once they finally reached what they figured was the interrogation room, voices could be heard on the other side. One sounded pained, but was clearly female. The other was masculine, but had a ring to it that made Zed think that it wasn't Ionian in origin. Kneeling down, Zed looked through the keyhole of the door, seeing only a deserted balcony overlooking a larger area below. Realising this, Zed silently opened the door and the two ninja's made their way into the room, creeping up to the edge to overlook the banister. There were a large collection of guards and soldiers down below, but two figures stood out. The first was a male, standing about as tall as Zed, adorning intricate, black leather armour. A cape was laid out behind him, a large symbol depicting a dragon curled around to face its own tale, a creative take on the symbol for Ionia, woven into the black fabric. The figure had long black hair, but it was tied back in a series of braids that collapsed around his shoulders. He had a pair of deep red eyes, which worked with his wicked smile to emanate an aura of pure, unmatched evil. The other figure was entirely different, and instantly filled both the ninjas with relief. Bruised and a little bloodied, but very much alive, Akali was kneeling before the dark figure, hands tied behind her back. The dark figure took a knee, pulling Akali's chin up to look into her eyes.

"Why are you forcing me to hurt you my dear. It is a simple question; all you need to do is answer. Where is the Sovereign?" Akali whimpered, trying to remove her face from his grasp but failing. Her voice came out as a little more than a croak.

"I told you already, I don't know. Why are you doing this?" The figure sighed, a sound that released with it a large amount of pent up stress. He clearly hadn't been having much success with the ninja. Pushing Akali's face to the side before standing up, he lifted his arms to the air as though preparing to preach, smiling to his gathered communion.

"Because this is my home! Ionia has withstood the wrath of gods, the invasion of Noxus, but a new threat has risen which threatens everything we have fought to protect." Some of the crowd cheered at this, some even hitting spears onto the ground in a clang of metal on stone.

"Your precious Institute preserves the order of shadows, as well as the Dark Sovereign. How can they encourage such evil and expect to get away with it!" More cheers of agreement. Zed looked to Shen, confusion evident on both their faces.

"We are here to stop this. We will purify Ionia, rid it of the influence of that damned Institute, finish off the sovereign, as well as any order that has allied itself with the Institute in the past. We will bring forth a newer, stronger Ionia, born from the fires of rebellion and liberation, free from the wrath that will inevitably come from a united Valoran." The figure was practically screaming now, the room filled with cheers.

"Ionia will return to the glory it once had, the glory it deserves." Drawing a sword from his waste, a horrible dark blade that seemed to sap the light from the air around it, he turned to Akali.

"I grow tired of your games Fist of Shadow, so here is my last offer. Join us, give us what we desire, and leave with your life." Shen tried to leap up, but Zed pulled him down, shaking his head. Akali shook her head.

"I will never turn my back on Valoran." The figure smiled, a horrible, sadistic image that would haunt Zed for many years to come.

"Then you will die my dear." The blade fell.

There was a loud clash as metal hit stone, the dark blade breaking the flooring to the right of Akali. Shen stood to his full height, staring down the dark figure.

"You will not lay another finger on her." Shen drew his own swords, taking a defensive stance in front of his lover. From the top of the balcony, Zed drew his own blades, shaking his head at Shen's brashness. But the more he shook his head, the more adrenaline pumped through his body, and soon he was laughing, a deep throaty laugh that had struck fear into so many hearts throughout the years. Putting his arms to his chest, he stepped back, disappearing into the shadows, readying himself for battle.


	6. Chapter 6

**Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everybody! Hope all your holidays are going well, here is a little chapter for all you brilliant people out there :)**

Chapter 6 - The Storm

Syndra was really beginning to wish she had put more effort into getting to know the energetic yordle that was Kennen a lot earlier. The two were sitting in the large courtyard of the Order of Shadows temple, enjoying a simple brew of Ionian herbal tea and listening to the wind making its way through the stonework and trees. The peacefulness was occasionally cut off by a synchronised grunt from the training ninjas around them, all of whom were performing the same technique to perfection. It was truly something to be marvelled at. Kennen had been watching them the whole time, occasionally sipping his tea, but by the speed he was drinking it was obvious that this aspect of Ionian culture had never clung itself to him. Syndra however had spent many years in seclusion, nothing but the stimulating scents of teas and spices to change her mood, so the art of drinking tea was one she enjoyed greatly. She sighed, realising she had found yet another thing her and the yordle did not have in common. They hadn't had a proper conversation since Zed had left, Kennen too distracted by other matters, and Syndra unsure what she could possibly say. Thankfully for her, it was Kennen who broke the silence.

"This is as awkward for you as it is for me, right?" Syndra laughed, smiling at how blunt the yordle was.

"We really haven't talked much, I know so very little about you." Kennen put his tea on the ground, pushing it away with his foot.

"Well, first things first, I hate tea." Syndra laughed again, putting her tea down as well.

"It is an acquired taste I suppose. Mind if I ask some questions?" Kennen just shrugged, and so Syndra seized her opportunity to get to know the yordle.

"How long have you been in Ionia?" Kennen looked pensive for a moment before responding.

"You know, I seem to have lost track, but it has been years, I left Bandle City when I was still very young."

"What's it like being the Heart of the Tempest?"

"Exhausting! It's like being a normal ninja, but you have to do everything at five times the speed! I know it may look like I handle it well, but trust me, it is very hard work." Syndra continued to ask questions for some time, and Kennen would answer all of them truthfully, slowly warming up to Syndra's company, and soon he was telling his own stories.

"Have you got a girlfriend Kennen?" Kennen laughed at this, shaking his head.

"Do you know how many yordles I've seen in Ionia? One, and I see him every morning when I look in the mirror. There are no yordles here, which makes finding even so much as a date very awkward. You get the odd human who is interested, but that kind of thing was never really for me. I haven't even kissed a girl since my childhood, and that was only ever playfully!" Kennen laughed, and Syndra found herself playing along, putting on a playful pout, feeling a little bit of sympathy for the yordle.

"What about in Bandle City? Surely one of the institute's yordles catches your eye." Kennen thought on this for a moment, again shaking his head.

"Of the three of them, two are in relationships, and Poppy never really seemed like my type. Nope, I think staying single is what it's going to be at the moment." The two smiled at each other, finally able to enjoy each other's company.

"At least you seem to know where your heart stands." Syndra's voice didn't even try to mask her pain, her hand instinctively reaching for her throat where there was still a red mark from her run in with Zed earlier. Kennen couldn't understand what had gotten into Zed, both with him agreeing to go to Navori with very little convincing required, as well as his loving and then later aggressive actions towards Syndra. Some people Kennen could not understand, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try and help.

"You know he wasn't always that heartless." Syndra met Kennen's eyes, her face telling him to continue.

"I wasn't around when he was still training to be a member of the Kinkou, but I heard the stories from Shen and Akali. Would you believe it, but he was originally expected to be the Heart of the Tempest over me! Kind of gives a new meaning to 'Shock-blade Zed'. Him, Shen and Akali were supposed to be the greatest trio that Ionia had ever seen, that was before the whole incident with the shadows, but I get the feeling you know that part of the story." Syndra nodded. There weren't too many people in the Institute that didn't know that story, whether it came from Zed or Shen.

"Well, what you may not know is that not only was Zed good friends, some even said brothers, with Shen, but he was also going out with Akali." Syndra had made the mistake of picking up her tea to take a sip, and ended up spitting it out over the floor in surprise.

"When did that happen!?" Kennen laughed.

"Like I said, he wasn't always this heartless. Back when they were at the same order, Zed befriended Akali. Nobody is entirely sure how, in fact I'm fairly sure the only ones who even know they had a relationship are Shen, you now, and myself. After some time they grew particularly close, and I suppose that inevitably resulted in a relationship. Akali said she used to be completely infatuated with him, and by the sounds of it, he was quite the sweetheart himself. She would never have admitted it, but I think she still had some feelings for him, although certainly not stronger than her feelings for Shen." A tear rolled down Kennen's face, and Syndra could only marvel at how well the yordle was actually managing to keep himself together given that one of his best friends had probably been killed.

 _Positive Syndra, be positive._ She thought to herself, putting a reassuring hand on Kennen's shoulder.

"I just wish he was more like that now." It wasn't that Syndra was looking for a relationship. She had spent so much time by herself, she would really have been happy if she could just befriend Kennen and have someone to spend time with when she would otherwise have been alone. But after everything Zed had done for her, offering to protect her and save her life, comforting her, showing her the closest thing to love she had ever had, she didn't want to give up on the prospect of Zed being in her life, even if the red mark across her neck suggested otherwise. Kennen grunted.

"You'd be surprised. The Master of Shadows may be many things, but a heartless coward is not one of them." Kennen stood up, offering a hand to the mage before realising his height would be of little help for her being able to stand.

"Actually, I think I can show you." Syndra stood, her curiosity certainly piqued at this statement. Kennen led the way out of the temple, following the path Syndra had taken to get to the order, before taking another familiar turn and making his way towards the ruined village. He stopped on the outskirts, bowing and muttering a quick sentence under his breathe. When he looked back up, his eyes were red.

"Akali got me to do some research, and from what we found out this was an old yordle village. I don't remember many blessings from my childhood, but I know enough." He slowly began to make his way into the village, marvelling at all the buildings.

"I've never actually been here in person, all I had to go on was Akali's descriptions and stories. It's a lot more… tranquil than I expected." Syndra followed a few paces behind the yordle, listening intently to Kennen's words.

"Many ages ago, long before the Noxian invasion, there was a war in Ionia. The details have been lost to the ages, but remnants still exist in some of the ancient libraries, of which I visited all of them. It spoke of a group called the Purists, a cult that strove for 'the perfect Ionia'. Their crusade was a bloody one, and many were killed. The largest victims were the yordles, which they saw as impure creatures. This village is one of the only remaining yordle settlements, the rest were burnt and trampled during the war. The temple that Zed claimed is possibly the only one of its type, built by the yordles to worship their own gods and beliefs. What I wouldn't do to explore the depths, see what I could find." He cleared his throat, brushing a tear off his cheek.

"Anyway, Akali found this place as a child, and she would come here in order to meditate, finding that there was an unmatched silence amongst the destruction. She used to call it 'Sanctuary', because to her that was exactly what it was. As time went on she joined the Kinkou, and despite making friends she shared the secret of her haven with nobody. That is until Zed came along. It took some time, but eventually Akali decided to bring Zed here. She never said what happened here, although I'm sure we can all fill in those gaps." Kennen walked into the large clearing, setting himself down in the centre, rain beginning to drop through the foliage and onto his fur.

"When Zed betrayed the order, Akali followed him. He ran here, to their sanctuary. When I asked Akali what happened, she almost cried, and I haven't pushed her since, but what I do know is she came back a changed person." Silence fell upon the pair; the sound of droplets on leaves the only background noise to their solemn moment. Looking around, Syndra could imagine a village of yordles, happy and energetic as they were, living a normal life. To think that they had all been killed, it was almost too much to bear. Having been silent for a good while now, Syndra spoke up.

"That doesn't seem to inspire confidence in Zed's ability to be loving." Kennen stood, raising an eyebrow at her.

"The fact that, after everything they went through, Zed built his order in the shadow of their sanctuary doesn't inspire confidence? No matter what he says, no matter what he does, he loved Akali, and he loved her enough that their shared sanctuary still felt secure enough for him to call it home." Kennen walked over and gently squeezed Syndra's hand.

"Don't lose hope." Syndra knelt down and kissed the yordle, nothing long but one full of gratitude and joy. Kennen was a little shocked at first, but when Syndra pulled away and embraced the yordle, he found himself feeling a little more comfortable.

"I can't thank you enough Kennen, I…" Her sentence was cut short by the sound of a bell, a familiar sound that instantly put the two Ionians on edge.

"The order is under attack!" Kennen rushed off at near light speed, shurikens already in his hands. Syndra felt her magic build up around her, embracing some of the power the Dark Sovereign offered her, and made her way towards the battle at a much slower pace.

She knew something was wrong the moment she left the village, the prickling sensation on the back of her neck that that tells her if she's being followed was acting in overdrive. She was listening intently, hoping to hear any sign of movement, the snapping of a twig, the rustling of leave, or the swing of a blade. Syndra barely had time to push back the assailant, sending him flying into the tree, his sword dropping from his hand. She could hear voices now, more figures appearing out of the foliage around her. She was surrounded.

"You little wretch." The man she had blown into the tree stood up slowly, brushing blood from his lower lip, eyes filled with an indescribable hatred.

"People like you will be the death of our land. If the damned Order of Shadows won't finish you off, then we will." The men slowly began to converge one her. They didn't really scare Syndra, she knew her power well enough to know they couldn't beat her. But her senses told her many more people were heading in their direction, her presence clearly being broadcast to the soldiers. She was strong, but she wasn't invincible. She figured her best bet was to stall until help arrived, so stall she did.

"You are the ones who attacked the Kinkou." A couple of them laughed.

"Clever girl. They were weak, unable to protect us, and so they will be replaced." They kept moving, her plan wasn't working.

"And the Order of Shadows?" The main one slowed, his face suddenly filled with something Syndra recognised from many of the champions at the Institute; Egotism.

"They had their chance to prove their loyalty, but yet you live. They will meet the same fate as the Kinkou." He raised his arms, leading Syndra to look up. She gasped at the sight, smoke trailing into the evening air, an orange glow surrounding the green trees.

"Ionia will be reborn, and you will join your ninja friend in the afterlife." The soldier's words were met by a few cheers from the crowd, but they were soon cut off by the sound of thunder overhead, storm clouds rolling in. There was an unmistakeable sound of a weapon being drawn, and Syndra smiled. A new voice rang out over the small clearing, one tainted with pain and anger.

"You will die for your actions." Three whistling sounds could be heard, and the soldier in front of Syndra fell to the floor, three metal shurikens sticking out of his chest. A bolt of lightning fell from the sky, striking and instantly killing one of the other soldiers. They slowly began to back away, the rain from earlier now turning into a torrential downpour. Another whistling sound, another fallen soldier, and now panic was spreading amongst the ranks. All Syndra could do was smile though, happy that she had been saved, and that her friend could get his revenge. She needn't fight the soldiers; their fate had been sealed. The storm had come.


	7. Chapter 7

**Who ever knew life could get so busy in so little time. What was going to be a nice month of relaxation turned into a month of house renovations, during which I got the tedious job of painting. Although, judging by how few of the authors I follow are actually posting updates, I'd say I'm not the only one who's busy at the moment.**

 **So, let's talk Sentimental for a second. This chapter was so hard to get right, and I ended up writing quite a few other silly stories while trying to get it right. The next chapters are practically finished, and if I get some free time, will try and get them out to you pretty soon. As for the other silly stories, most of them are not League related, and the few that are will not be posted, save for a really cute one, which I will not post until I have finished Sentimental because of there being a communal character (makes it easier on me and my mental organisation). As for how many chapters are left, I would expect there to be only two more before I reach a reasonable finish point for what I'm essentially going to call part one of Sentimental. Obviously not everything will be resolved, but where's the fun in perfect endings?**

 **For those of you who follow me, you may also be happy to hear I have started work on the second part of The Heartseekers. If you don't know what that is, look it up, it's still my favourite work (Don't be frightened by the M rating, it is mostly T).**

Chapter 7 - Ultimatum

Zed was one with the shadows. Soldiers were looking around in a state of panic, facing ever bit of darkness, only to be pulled in by the one they didn't see, their life ending in a flash of blade. He hadn't stopped laughing, the horrible sound now echoing throughout the chamber, adding to the panic. Shen had taken the distraction to sweep up Akali and fight his way to one of the walls, checking on her health. The only person who seemed out of place was the dark figure, who was now leaning on his sword, watching the display with a disinterested look. He yawned, stretching his shoulders. Zed seized this moment, leaping from the shadows and attempting to drive his blades into the figure's back. That was a mistake. The figure expertly sidestepped, bringing his sword around and using the hilt to smack the back of Zed's head, sending him stumbling forwards and onto the floor. The soldiers, seeing this, regained some composure, directing their weapons towards the assassin. Zed quickly shadow jumped behind them, taking out a couple more guards as he went. Shen had now joined the fight, fending off any guard that got too close to Akali. The latter herself was doing her best to help, lending advice and warnings to Shen as he feinted and dodged numerous attacks. Zed used the shadows to circle the room, taking down guards when he could, but always waiting for another opening to attack the figure. He wouldn't make the same mistake again. Shen threw a blade towards a guard, who dodged, only to have the blade continue to travel towards the dark figure. The figure swung his blade, deflecting the blow, but granting Zed an opportunity to engage. This time Zed went for the legs, far harder to sidestep. He felt his blades cut through cloth and leather, but the figure was too quick to take any flesh wounds. He brought the sword around on Zed, the black blade leaving a shadowy arc as it travelled, Zed narrowly avoiding the edge of it. For the first time, Zed was face to face with his rival. The warrior let out a deep sigh, shaking his head at Zed.

"I expected better from you Zed." Zed growled. He didn't feel any need to stand around and listen to some creep try to make him feel guilty. He launched himself at the figure, blades moving in a refined style that would spell the end for most people. The swordsman was not one of them. Impossibly fast blade movements would match every strike that Zed threw. The figure had started laughing, and this only grew in volume as their fight continued.

Eventually, Zed was pushed back, skidding along the floor but maintaining his feet. He looked up in time to see the black blade being thrust into the ground, then the world started to shake. A crack began to make its way across the floor, splitting the room into two. There was a deafening crack, and the crack grew in diameter, separating the groups on the two sides. On Zed's side stood only him and the figure, while on the other side was Shen and the rest of the soldiers. Shen was yelling something and pointing, but Zed could barely make out what was being said, his ears still recovering from the noise. Following where Shen was pointing, he saw what he was talking about. Akali was desperately crawling her away from the expanding crack, stuck on Zed's side. The assassin recovered, rushing over to help the ninja to her feet. He grabbed her arm and pulled her up, throwing her arm over his shoulder and rushing her away. Akali let out a little yelp, and Zed realised this was the first contact they had shared outside of the institute in many years. He cursed himself for the thought, his stomach playing around with him once more. His thoughts were cut short however as he was forced to duck underneath another slash of the horrible black blade. Using the shadows he dashed to the other edge of his side. Looking over at Shen, he knew he didn't have enough energy to traverse the gap. That left one option. Turning towards the only available hallway, he lifted Akali fully into his arms and began to run.

The hallway was dark, not a torch in sight to light the way. This suited Zed, the shadows gave him all the clarity he required, but it made things difficult when he heard footsteps behind him.

"You can't run forever Zeddy boy, I will catch you!" Zed shadow jumped forwards just in time, the sound of a blade being swung behind him telling him he had narrowly avoided death. He knew he would normally be able to shadow jump his way to safety, but he was running out of energy, and every jump now was taking its toll. They continued down the seemingly never-ending hallway, which Zed had noticed was gradually heading upwards. He also could have sworn it was twisting, but that could just be his head spinning from the over-exertion. Eventually light spilled in from the end of the hallway, and Zed doubled his efforts to get out, shadow jumping forwards to make some more distance. Zed ran out of the hallway, stopping himself before he accidentally launched off the balcony onto the forest below. They were outside now, the early morning air filling his senses, giving him some well-needed energy. Again he heard the sound of a blade and, knowing he could not keep going forwards, split from Akali, gently pushing her to one side as he dodged to the other. In the early morning light, the dark figure seemed a lot more intimidating. His whole presence seemed to counter-act the warmth the sun was emitting, sending a chill down Zed's spine as they faced each other.

It was therefore a surprise when the figure started to laugh, lowering his weapon. He took a step forward, Zed raising his weapons defensively, not that it fazed the warrior in any way.

"I always wanted to meet you, but not under these circumstances." With an almighty thrust, the warrior jammed his sword blade first into the stone floor, leaning up against it with his elbow.

"I genuinely had hope for you." The warrior's words were strangely wistful, confusing Zed to no small end. He hated politics, but given the state he was in, he decided diplomacy was probably the smarter option. He laughed along with the dark figure.

"Well, I wouldn't want your hope to be misplaced. How about we start with some basic pleasantries? What's your name?" Zed lowered his weapons as he said this, returning his blades to his back. Akali meanwhile had found the strength to sit up, watching the exchange with heightened curiosity.

"Very well then, my name is Fole, General Fole." Zed couldn't resist laughing.

"Fole? What kind of name is that?" The general just smiled.

"It was the one my home gave to me, and it is the one I will keep in respect for that." Zed grunted.

"You seem to really like your home, where is that exactly?" Fole shook his head, making a repeated tsk sound as he did.

"Now Zed, this works both ways, so now it is my turn to ask the questions. Why are you here?" The laughing stopped, both sides slipping into seriousness once more. Akali fidgeted, the hostile change putting her a little on edge.

"What kind of stupid question is that? You were going to kill one of my friends." Fole burst into laughter, not the earlier jovial sound, this one tainted with sarcasm.

"Oh Zed, I know you well enough to know that you couldn't give a damn about friends. Hell, not long ago you would have happily killed most of the people you now call 'friend'. So how about you try answering the question again?" Zed was reminded of exactly how much he hated verbal debate, now deciding what answer would move the conversation onwards. He examined his foe once more, his stance and demeanour, what he had said and done. He held himself with so much pride, with an indeterminable amount of respect, and soon Zed had a plan.

"What answer do you want to hear?" Fole smiled at this, relaxing his shoulders as Zed let a small smile cross his mind. He'd been right, arrogant men often like the sound of being right.

"I want you to realise how ridiculous you are acting. You are many things Zed, but you are not an idiot. You may be cold, merciless, brutal even, but you are always calculating, and I admire that. You believe, nay, _know_ that power is the true judge in this world, and that one's respect should be given to the strongest. There, we are the same."

"Go to hell." Zed couldn't help but burst at being in any way similar to the dark figure. He lunged forward clumsily, only to be sidestepped by Fole. The latter continued talking, unfazed by the outburst.

"We both believe the strongest should rule, but my thinking is a little larger. All these Noxians and Demacians flaunting around like they are the greatest powers in this world. Piltover and Zaun racing to the greatest technological breakthrough. Bandle city's 'ideal' politics and the Frejlord's brutality, but none of these know what true power is anymore. Ionia has fallen to the back of everyone's mind, a lost thought in the everyday struggles of lesser powers. They see as a sign of peace, of tranquillity, when we were made for war. Do not deny this Zed, you are living proof of what Ionia has to offer, clean and quick death, such overwhelming power none could hope to stand in our way. You and I, we are the future of this world, the warriors of today, and the emperors of tomorrow." Fole had begun slowly approaching Zed, who had instinctively been backing away until his back was against the wall opposite the drop to the forest floor below. He hadn't realised it, but he had been outplayed, Fole positioning it so Zed's only real hope of escape was to shadow leap behind the general, a predictable move that would no doubt lead to a counter-attack. Zed cursed himself internally, gripping his blades a little tighter. Fole noticed this, and reaching beside him hefted the unnaturally large sword over his shoulder, sighing deeply.

"But sadly that dream has begun to fade, and you have fallen victim to the plague that spreads its claws across all of Valoran. This 'Institute of War', an organisation that specialises in war but encourages nothing but peace, how pathetic! Even you, one of Ionia's greatest, spends a little time there and soon you'd rather take a champion to bed than fulfil a straight forward contract." Fole reached into his coat, removing a familiar scroll of paper, although Zed was certain it could not be the original.

"The Dark Sovereign, just say her name to yourself. Think on all the darkness and pain that name has caused, and how you were too weak to put a stop to it. I even offered you a reward, and a bloody generous one at that! No, you are a disappointment, a bloody disgrace to the name of Ionia." Fole drew his sword back, readying for another attack.

"But alas, I am nothing if not a fair man, so I offer you this last chance. The contract still stands, and should you slay the Sovereign, you can take my place. Picture it Zed, yourself at the head of the greatest army we anyone has ever seen! This is the last kindness I will grant you, as you have already taken much of my time. This is your ultimatum." Zed was silent, the whole world seeming to mirror this and falling silent to. He wasn't sure what he could do; it seemed to be his life or Syndra's, which as far as he was concerned would mean his life anyway. He found himself searching his mind for some sign of hope. When he could not find one amongst his thoughts, he turned to instinct, and was still lost. Fear sinking in, he turned to the last means of reassurance he had left. Fole noticed, turning his head to follow Zed's gaze.

"Is she the problem? That ninja has threatened your livelihood for years, and now, just as you have a chance to be rid of her and every other enemy you've ever had, you turn to her? Is it because of your past, a long lost desire for the love you once had? Or is it jealousy, of your dear brother who you could never best, even with winning her heart. Oh how it must hurt you so deeply, how it must fuel you, drive you. This is your chance at revenge, a chance to settle everything, don't tell me you'd let that go because of an old flame. Of all the things you struck me as Zed, I'd have never said you'd be so sentimental." That was the last straw as far as Zed was concerned, and with a newfound hatred, he felt energy surge through his body. He met Fole's eyes, a smile creeping across his face.

"Thanks for the offer Fole, but I don't want it. How about you go and shove it up your…" Zed never got to finish the statement as Fole roared out in pain. Zed wasted no time slipping past the injured general, pulling Akali's kama out of Fole's back as he did so. Rushing over and picking Akali up bridal style, the two looked out over their only way out; downwards.

"Hope these past few minutes have made you trust me." Akali barely had time to respond to the statement as Zed turned to face the angry general. Fole had blood pouring down his arm, but he never loosened his grip on the blade.

"You're a dead man Zed."

"We'll see about that." Zed stepped backwards, the pair falling off the balcony and into the awaiting trees below.


	8. Chapter 8

**Heya, BJ coming right at you.**

 **_INSERT EXCUSE FOR LATE STORY HERE_**

 **ERROR 404: Excuse not found**

 **Like seriously, this story was 90% done for two weeks and I only got around to finishing it today. On the flip side, I am also giving you two chapters of The Heartseekers, so #worth? (Been playing a lot of league, forgive me)**

 **Anyway, as per always, RRF (Review, Follow, Favourite - Why do I bother abbreviating it?), and let me know what you think.**

Chapter 8 - Subconscious Decisions

It's always a strange sensation coming back to consciousness. It's an even stranger sensation coming back to consciousness in somebody else's arms. Zed could feel the warm appendages wrapped lightly around his neck, hear the feint beating of blood with his overly sensitive hearing. He'd been unconscious before, but he felt particularly drained this time, causing him to worry about exactly how long he'd been out. Trying to move he felt pain surge through his body, as well as a gently pulling as the arms made him rest back. Opening his eyes he cringed at the early morning sun, it's light too much for his tired senses. As they adjusted he searched for the source of the arms, and almost had a panic attack upon seeing Akali's face. Ignoring the pain and the resistance, Zed leapt to his feet, putting a few meters between himself and Akali before falling onto his ass with his head spinning.

"Zed, I'm only trying to help, please." She came over and sat in front of him, rubbing a hand along his bare face. For a fleeting moment Zed wondered what had happened to his helmet, but quickly dismissed the train of thought in place of a far more pressing one.

"What happened?" Akali raised an eyebrow.

"I'm surprised you don't remember. Just before we hit the ground you managed to shadow-jump us into a small lake. Thank the stars it was shallow, or I'd never have managed to drag you out of the water. You've been unconscious for just over two days now, which given how much energy you used in the space of an hour, isn't too bad." Zed registered the words but was far more distracted by the warm palm still resting on his scarred face. He could feel the blood rushing to his face, and desperately hoped it was not so obvious on his cheeks. If it was, Akali had enough decency not to say so, simply staring at his face. She smiled.

"I'm impressed, not a month ago you would have taken my hand off by now." Zed reached up and gently removed her hand, the idea that he would have hurt Akali making him feel a little ashamed. She was right, he would have, and having met Fole and where that path would have led him, he really didn't want to think on that anymore.

"What are you doing Akali?" She pulled her hand free of Zed's grip, turning her head to the side to hide her blush.

"Do you know how many years I hoped you'd come back to the Kinkou? Apologise for your actions and make peace. Come back to me." She stood, tears in the corner of her eyes.

"I thought I had finished with you a long time ago, and now you come and do this! Save my life, and potentially all of Ionia? You didn't get to hear half of the horrors those brutes condoned, what they believed." Akali was pacing now, sadness turning to anger and hysteria. She wasn't finished however.

"Not only that, but Shen is still back there, and if anything ever happens to him, I don't know what I will do. He risked his life to get me out of there, broke every moral code in his body in trusting you, and all I can do is sit here and think of you! Gods, what is wrong with me." Zed refused to let her train of thought continue. Acting on instinct more than anything, he leapt to his feet and pulled Akali closer to him, feeling her warm tears trickling down his unarmoured chest as his arms found their way around her shoulders.

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore Zed."

"You aren't the only one." Zed muttered under his breath, praying it wasn't loud enough for Akali to make out. When her sobbing continued, he gently stroked her head, thinking of anything he could say to soothe her, something that certainly was not within his comfort zone.

"We need to keep moving, Fole will be looking for us by now." It was blunt, but it got Akali moving. She slowly pulled away, collecting a couple of things lying around their small setup. Zed took this opportunity to take in his surroundings, eyes finally having adjusted to the morning light. They seemed to be in a forest of sorts, the flora reminding him of the Navori region still, which didn't bode well for the man-hunt that was probably under way. Although Zed knew he had a collection of shadows in the region, he could still feel the nagging sensation in his core telling him that his energy levels were beyond depleted. Akali however seemed to be one step ahead of this, having made a pair of loose packs from the large foliage of the surrounding trees, the few necessities they required already packed.

"Figured it will make the road a little easier on us." Zed just smiled at Akali's ingenuity, accepting the packs. He felt exposed carrying so little, his armour gone in place of the simple Ionian clothing typically worn by commoners. This raised another question.

"What happened to my armour?" Akali didn't make eye contact, Zed already beginning to assume what had happened.

"You were too heavy to get out of the water."

"So you stripped me?" Zed was smiling, enjoying the way Akali was stammering out a response.

"Would you have rather me let you drown?"

"Oh no, I'm glad you did, but maybe we should have dinner first or something next time." Akali punched him in the shoulder, which was quite the hit given her strength. Zed found himself rubbing the glowing red flesh, but his smile still could not leave his face. He wasn't even sure why he was so happy, his humour had been poorly timed given everything that had happened. Even with that aside, it was still a joke, something Zed never dabbled in. As he began to sober up he could feel the headache in the back of his head return, as well as his muscles slowly becoming heavier and heavier. His body was literally draining him of energy, desperate to fill the reservoirs Zed had expended in the previous few days. He felt uncomfortably hot as well, fairly convinced he was running a fever, his body not coping well with the stress of having to walk in such a weakened state. Akali kept sparing glances back at him, her face sporting a constant look of concern. Zed wasn't worried about his health, he had lived through more than enough diseases to truly feel worried by a small fever, but more the fact that if they were attacked there would be absolutely nothing he could do. As it was, he knew that he'd need to rest frequently on the walk back north towards the order of shadows. It was going to be a long walk, and with Akali, it was going to feel even longer.

It was midday when they finally stopped moving, the pair almost collapsing at the foot of a small lake, panting for air as sweat dripped from their brows in small rivulets. Zed felt physically sick, his skin chilled all over despite it clearly over-heating. His stomach felt as though it were rising to his throat, causing him to thank all the gods for his strong constitution. Akali did not look in much better shape, her skin pale as a ghost and her eyes distance and unfocussed. Neither of them had kept a track of how far they'd walked, or where exactly they had been walking other than a general northerly direction. Akali turned to her bag, fiddling with the strap to no avail before eventually collapsing over onto her side. Zed tried to push towards her, but his body too refused to act, falling in a heap next to Akali. His dreams were no more welcoming than his reality. He could feel the cold, dark steel of Fole's blade upon his throat, although he could not see the blade or the wielder. Instead all he saw were faces, disembodied and ghastly, but all familiar. Ancient foes and recent friends, all were present and talking, but they all spoke with Fole's voice.

"Of all the things you struck me as Zed, I'd have never said you'd be so sentimental." It was a taunt, one line playing over Zed's mind again and again and again. He closed his eyes, or what he took for his eyes in this dreamscape, and upon reopening them found himself standing in an empty plain, nothing but golden grass as far as the eye could see. It seemed to be early evening, the sun not thirty minutes from its decent below the horizon, casting streaks of pink and orange across the almost cloudless sky. It was calming, tranquil even, and seemed to resonate with all the happy memories Zed had stored over the years.

"What happened to you Zed?" The voice was unmistakeably Shen's, although the figure he saw did not match. He saw a reflection o himself, fully armoured with weapons drawn. His eyes were glowing red behind his helmet, an aura of death emanating from him.

"You were the perfect assassin, exactly what the shadows had craved for so many years. Yet now you are no more than an emotional wreck, making stupid decisions for no particular reason. Have you forgotten your training, your oaths?"

"You treat him too harshly, he is only human, he could never hope to supress his feelings for all his life. He has loved and lost, just as much as anyone else has. Who can judge him for doing so again?" This voice was Akali's, but again the form was not her own. This time Zed stood unarmoured and youthful, a figure from many moons ago, one he barely recognised now.

"That was too long ago you fool, he surpassed such primitive means. He had reached his own point of perfection, and you would bring him low again."

"To fall low is to fall to nothingness, where all feeling is pointless, the fate you would bestow upon him. Is your path really any better than mine?" The armoured figure lunged towards the youthful one, who expertly dodged to the side, laughing. The two figures continued their fight, and as they did Zed began to feel his head spinning, two halves of his subconscious tearing into each other in an attempt to claim dominance. He fell to his knees, then his hands, and soon his forehead was pressed into the sharp grass as he tried to clear his mind. Then he heard it, a third voice, finding its way through the pain and fighting.

"This is your chance at something new Zed, don't let it slip away."

Zed bolted upright from his sleep, gasping for air. He was still running a fever, but he had at least regained some of his senses. He searched through his pack for anything to help him, not that he was expecting to find any medical supplies in the makeshift packages Akali had put together. He was surprised to find a collection of roots and herbs, not that he knew what any of them did. He turned to Akali to ask for her advice, only to realise she was not where she had collapsed. It wasn't the fact she was missing that got him worried, she was a more than capable fighter, she could probably even best him on a good day. No, he was worried in case she collapsed somewhere else and he couldn't find her. Pushing himself up onto his knees Zed took a moment to let his head settle before standing up. Everything seemed to spin for a while before he was comfortable enough walking. It didn't take him long to catch Akali's trail, she wasn't putting much effort into hiding her tracks. Broken branches and squashed bushes were a testament to how much stumbling she had probably been doing in her small journey. Zed could hear running water, and soon realised he had been roughly following the bank of the water. The further he walked the louder the noise became until the trees peeled away, revealing the oasis beyond. There was a small rocky outcrop over which a river flowed, supplying the lake with a continuous source of water. Unlike the rest of the lake, the water here was crystal clear and clean, but it was not the nature that caught Zed's eye. Resting on the bank, splashing icy water onto her now topless body was Akali, still as pale as before.

"You have a habit for making a bad situation worse, do you know that?" Zed wasn't aware Akali knew of his presence, so her words caught him off guard.

"I guess I'm sorry then." Akali turned on him, her eyes now red with tears.

"Is that all you have to offer me? A half-hearted apology?" Zed clenched his fists.

"What do you want me to say? We haven't talked in years and the first few conversations we have you go from proclaiming your love for me to accusing me of ruining your life. Which is it?"

"Both you ignorant fool!" Akali stormed up to him, beating her fists upon his chest.

"You tell me you love me, then become so distant." Another beat of the fists.

"Shen finally pulls me out of it, then you show up as our enemy." Another beat of the fists.

"And now you appear, saving my life and acting as though everything is normal." Akali beat his chest one more time before collapsing, drained, into Zed's awaiting arms.

"Did you ever truly love me?"

"I've always loved you." Akali scoffed.

"Lier."

"I mean it." Akali pushed him away, turning and walking away before stopping herself.

"When you found out I was engaged to Shen?" Zed shrugged.

"Your will is your own, does not effect how I see you."

"When I refused to join the order of shadows?"

"I cannot help it if you are blind to true power." Akali gripped her hair in frustration.

"You stupid, stupid man. You can't just say things like that and still say you love me. It doesn't work like that!"

"Why can't it? Why can't I love you and still be my own person?" Akali sighed, rubbing her temple before becoming still. She took a deep breath before her next question.

"What about when I asked you to run away with me, to abandon the shadows and the kinkou both and take me, did you love me then? When you broke my heart and left me in _our_ sanctuary, did you do that out of love?" Zed wanted to say yes, with every fibre of his being he wanted Akali, but he knew she'd see through this lie, if no others.

"The shadows would never have let me. That was a different me."

"Is that a yes or no?"

"Why has everything got to be so black and white with you! Is it not enough to say I change, that I loved you before the shadows controlled me, and I love you now that I control them. Is that not enough for you?" Akali said nothing, she just smiled silently to herself.

"So you didn't love me?" Zed was confused as to how this made her happy, but decided he was done trying to explain himself.

"I guess so. Is that funny for some reason?" Akali came forward and kissed him, passionately but without lust. It wasn't the most pleasant experience, both running a slight fever and feeling unwell, but it was comforting none the less.

"You're really quite handsome when you aren't pretending to be tough, you know that right? Make sure that when you find the right girl, you know what you want before you confess to them." With that Akali turned and walked off into the jungle, not bothering to turn back this time.

Zed eventually made his way back to the encampment where Akali had already packed their stuff and was ready to be on her way. She held out a small white flower, which Zed took.

"Flowers now? Will I ever understand how you think?" Akali smiled.

"Eat it you idiot, it'll relieve the fever." Zed followed Akali's orders, and sure enough he felt his light-headedness begin to subside. After not too long he could feel some energy returning, he even risked a shadow jump to test it. He was ecstatic to find it working.

"Careful how much energy you use, the effects won't be permanent." With that the pair headed off, making their way towards Zed's temple, and to somebody Zed was suddenly very excited to see.


	9. Chapter 9

**You guys must be the most patient people on this earth, because I feel like I've procrastinated finishing this chapter for ages. However, with this chapter I hope to have wrapped up Sentimental for the time being anyways. I will revisit it soon, don't worry, but as far as the story goes this is a nice end point. The next chapters will either be fluffy romance or starting on a new story line, or why not both? Anyway, I will be putting time into my other stories for a bit before I do that anyway, but keep your eyes open.**

 **Anyway, I'm not going to ramble on for ages, please enjoy this little chapter of mostly resolution.**

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With Zed's ability to shadow dash returning, the trek soon became much simpler for him and Akali. Where they would before have to find ways around obstacles, Zed was now able to spare a little energy to bypass it all together. He wasn't well enough to attempt long-distance travel, but at least it was something. They both recovered quite quickly from their respective ailments, and soon were able to enjoy each others company as long lost friends, albeit with a touch of awkwardness. It took them a couple more days, but they eventually reached a section of forest they both began to recognise. Rain had begun to fall the evening before and had since shown no sign of stopping. It hadn't done much to slow their pace, quite the opposite, the cooler atmosphere lending them strength. It wasn't long before the trees made way for buildings, derelict and forgotten, but still so familiar. Akali slowed, taking in her surroundings.

"You actually did come back here." Zed grunted, keeping his pace.

"Safest place in Ionia as far as I'm concerned." Akali ran to keep up.

"Safest? I _guessed_ you could have set up here, and you think it's safe?" Zed looked at her, eyebrow raised.

"Nobody aside from you knew about it as far as I was concerned, and nobody came knocking on my door until Kennen showed up. It _was_ safe." Akali shrugged, still not entirely convinced. She was about to argue the point before they heard a noise in the trees. Akali instantly drew her karmas, disappearing from the main path to hide under one of the building's canopies. Zed drew his blades but did not dash for cover. If there was a threat near his home, he was bloody well going to get rid of it.

He heard it before he felt it, the sound of thunder travelling through the trees, rushing in his direction. He barely had time to curse to himself before the small ball of energy smashed into his chest, blowing him back. He managed to barely push himself off the ninja, skidding across the floor as he did so, his blades miraculously remaining in his hands. Luckily they did too, because he barely had time to raise them to deflect three small silver blades, sending them skittering across the grassy road. Zed clutched at where he had been hit by the first attack, slightly burnt skin matched with skid marks from the resultant fall. He wouldn't be able to dodge another charge. As if on cue, the sound of thunder roared up again, this time matched with a surprisingly high-pitched scream. The figure drew closer, and Zed was desperately trying to assess his options.

"Kennen, stop!" The ball stopped, dust flicking up at the abrupt change of motion. The noise and dusts eventually both died down, revealing none other than the yordle ninja standing in the centre of the road, facing towards the source of the voice. Akali stepped out from her cover, tears in her eyes.

"Akali, you're alive!" Kennen was on top of her in a moment, leaping into her arms for a warm embrace. Zed only smiled, the small movement causing him to grab his chest. For a little guy, Kennen packed a real punch.

"What did they do to you? Are you injured?" Akali shook her head.

"I'm fine, Zed made sure of that." Kennen frowned before realising the mistake he had made. Turning around he saw Zed clutching his side, and in a flash Kennen was over checking up on him.

"Zed, I'm so sorry! I didn't recognise you, I thought you were one of them." The apology didn't register with Zed, his mind fixated on the last of his words. He put an authoritative hand on Kennen's shoulder, looking at him with stone-cold eyes.

"What do you mean 'one of them'?" Kennen went to answer but was cut off by a scream echoing through the jungle. A storm picked up and he was already on his way, but Zed was one step ahead of him. The two ninjas raced off into the jungle, Akali yelling something as they disappeared, which neither of them heard. Zed felt the adrenaline pumping through his blood, the prospect of a fight bringing a smile to his face. Days of walking and trekking had only built his blood lust, desperately wanting another shot at Fole, but he supposed he'd settle for whoever this was.

He was therefore disappointed when, after finally breaking free from the remaining jungle and jumping out into the clearing around his temple, he found nothing but cheering men, blood staining their armour as they chased the last of the ninjas off into the jungle. The Order of Shadows had won.

"You two are slowing down." The smug grin Shen was giving Zed would normally have caused him to go on a small killing spree, but in that moment he was nothing but relieved. Walking over he embraced the master of the Kinkou, Shen looking rather taken aback at the action. The nearby ninjas were left in shock, even Kennen's jaw hit the ground in amazement. Zed pulled away, smiling a little at the dumbstruck expression on Shen's face.

"What? Am I not allowed to be glad you made it out of there alive?"

"If past experience was anything to go by, no, not at all. Besides, it was with no thanks to you, where'd you run off to?"

"That's a long story, but maybe not one to be told by me."

"Oh really? Who by then?"

"Do you jerks just never bother listening? Honestly!" Akali stumbled out of the bushes, the ninjas of the Order of Shadows now completely giving up on trying to understand the situation and heading back into the temple. Shen was with Akali in an instant, the pair embracing each other lovingly, tears forming in the corner of Shen's eyes.

"I thought I'd lost you." Akali moved her hand and wiped away a tear.

"It'd take a lot more than that to take me away from you." While the lovers re-united, Zed and Kennen looked on awkwardly.

"That's a little disgusting." Zed laughed.

"Not a romantic Kennen."

"Not like that, no."

The group eventually made their own way into the temple, a comfortable silence falling over them. They made their way out of the weather and into one of the many chambers of the temple where they all practically collapsed onto the floor, laughing at their lack of etiquette. After almost a week, Zed allowed himself time to just breathe, taking in the air of victory around him, and dispelling the worries and anxieties he knew he'd have to deal with later, but not today.

"My word still stands Zed." Zed didn't bother to lift his head from the floor, enjoying the feeling of the cold stone on his neck far too much. Shen himself was resting with his back against one of the walls, hand resting lightly on Akali's leg, who was lying down next to him. With everything that had happened, Zed wasn't even sure what Shen was talking about.

"And what word was that?" Shen laughed, realising now probably wasn't the time for the conversation, but he'd already brought it up.

"I'll leave for the Institute within the next couple of days. After that, the Kinkou are yours." This got Zed to sit up, staring over at Shen who was wearing a deadpan look, clearly serious about what he said.

"You can't leave Ionia."

"And why is that?" Zed thought on this for a moment. Why couldn't he lead the Kinkou and his order, form the greatest strength Ionia had ever seen? He could restore the state to the glory it had known aeons ago, and he would be at its helm.

 _You and I, we are the future of this world, the warriors of today, and the emperors of tomorrow._ Even as he began to recall the words he knew he could never lead Ionia. He had seen where that path led, what came from pursuing such a fate, and he knew he could never travel down that path.

"I know what happens if you leave, and it is not a fate either of us want to see, brother."

Shen didn't have time to respond to this when one of Zed's order entered the room, frowning a little at the four ninjas resting on the floor. Zed managed to pull himself to his feet; doing his best to appear as the strict mentor they knew him as.

"Sir, we have a report on our casualties and wounded, if you are willing to see it." Zed rubbed his temple, not ready to dive into more paperwork.

"Give it to me simply, how many lost, how many injured?"

"The infirmary is reporting numbers in excess of a hundred for injured, but no reported casualties." Zed raised an eyebrow at this, snatching the report scroll from the soldier's hand. He read it once over, then read it again, not believing what the text said. He turned to Kennen, throwing the report at him.

"What the hell did you do? No casualties?" Kennen smiled, reading the report. Multiple reports of cuts and bruises, some had more severe injuries, but as the soldier had relayed, no casualties or serious injuries. The worst injuries were severe burns which were listed as being inflicted by friendly fire, which caused Kennen to smile.

"I don't see why you are so surprised." Zed just smiled at this, bowing respectfully to the yordle.

"Apparently I misjudged you, and as such am in your debt." Kennen waved the compliment off lamely.

"You want to make it up to me? There is somebody waiting up-stairs for you I'd love for you to talk to. She's been very patient."

It wasn't that Zed had forgotten about Syndra, more that he wasn't sure he was prepared to see her just yet. Ever since his dream he'd felt as though his path had seemed clearer, as though he was no longer at conflict with himself, and although it was reassuring, the thought terrified him too. He could remember the first time the shadows had spoken to him, the promises they had made to each other. He knew he'd lost something that day, but he hadn't bothered to think about it until he'd trained with Syndra.

"Just go, thinking won't help anybody." Zed hadn't realised he'd been standing still while these thoughts passed through his head. He nodded at Akali's words, leaving the room without any further discussion. He made the climb towards his quarters slowly, practically counting the steps as he walked them. He felt his knees shaking as he reached the top, staring at the door he knew he had to open. He held his knuckles up to the door, hesitating for a moment before knocking. Too late to turn back now.

"Please come in." The voice was warm and positive, which did soothe Zed a little. He opened the door, closing it behind him and taking a step forward, standing with his hands behind his back. Syndra had her back to him, sitting at the small desk in her room, writing something. Zed just waited there in silence for her to finish.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to say something?"

"I was kind of hoping you'd turn around first." There was a small clang as Syndra dropped what she was writing with, her head turning around slowly to make sure her ears did not deceive her. Zed still didn't move, not trusting any part of his body in the current situation. He simply watched as Syndra came forward, running her hand upon his face, shaking her head in disbelief. He returned the gesture, Syndra shivering under his touch. She turned her head to the side, and that was when he saw it, the red flesh below her neckline. He touched it and she flinched, causing Zed to pull away. She reached out and grabbed his wrist, staring at him pleadingly.

"Don't you dare leave me again."

"I hurt you." Syndra's grip tightened around his wrist, and soon he could feel the unmistakeable burning as her magic touched his skin. He didn't cry out, he took it, tears forming in his eyes. Eventually she released her grip, admiring the glowing red flesh around Zed's wrist.

"And now I've hurt you, are we even?" Zed smiled a little at the act, rubbing his wrist.

"You realise most people would have just talked about it." Syndra smiled.

"Because talking things over with you seems like a brilliant idea." The words stung, although Zed tried not to show it.

"I'm sorry, for everything." Syndra gently brushed the hair off his face, smile fading a little.

"I just wanted to help you, to keep you safe, was that so hard for you to accept?"

"It was complicated."

"Because of Akali? Because you still had feelings for her?" Zed clenched his fists, trying desperately not to meet the mages eyes.

"I don't care if you like her, I couldn't even give a damn if you were sleeping with her, at least be honest with me!" Zed swung his fist, colliding with the wall sending a solid bang throughout the room, causing Syndra to jump.

"It was complicated because of you, and I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you that back then and it took me fighting a deranged cult to realise it." He let his fist drop by his side, blood dripping from the tips of his fingers.

"I don't know why I thought seeing you again would be simple, I hardly deserve the chance if I'm perfectly honest, but I'm here. I'm not hiding behind a mask or a reputation either, which quite frankly I have become far too accustomed to doing." He took a step forward, allowing a little of the anger and frustration from the past week to overcome him.

"I don't have perfect control, and yes, I can be ruthless and heartless. But I can be kind, and for the first time in my life I don't feel that is a weakness." Zed took one more step forward and stopped, his nose almost touching Syndra's forehead as he looked down into her eyes, their chests barely separated.

"That's what's going through my thick skull, you judge it for yourself." Syndra felt as though he were staring straight through her, reading the responses forming in her mind before she had the chance to utter them.

"You want me to believe you are a changed man, just like that?" Zed didn't move, and Syndra could feel his breath trailing down her neck, making her body tingle at the sensation.

"I didn't ask you to believe it, I asked you to judge it. I just thought you deserved the chance to choose for yourself." Syndra reached her head up and, with all the tenderness she could manage, lightly pressed her lips to Zed's. It lasted no more than a second, but in that moment Zed knew he was forgiven.

"Why have you got to be such a sentimental jerk? How can I turn you away with words like that." She wrapped her arms around his waist, letting her head rest gently against his chest, causing Zed to do the same with his chin resting on her head. It wasn't a long moment, but for them it felt like an eternity, one they emerged from feeling like new people. They didn't stay around to dwell on their feelings, Zed leaving to return to his Kinkou company while Syndra elected to throw herself onto her bad, hoping the pillows and sheets could soak up the tears of joy she found pouring down her face.

* * *

If Zed had to be completely honest, he preferred top lane over mid. The people he had to go up against weren't necessarily nicer, but they were a lot less talkative, preferring to just fight. That is unless he got put up against Singed or Vladamir, then he was in for a terrible time. Thankfully neither of these two were up against him, instead he was versing Nautilus and his incredible waveclear. With little to no kill pressure, it was needless to say he was having a bad time. When he finally saw Nautilus show up somewhere else on the map, Zed knew this would be his opportunity to get a kill, and he knew exactly where he was heading.

Syndra was not having the best of time. She hadn't died, surprisingly, but Ahri was constantly threatening to dive in and kill her. The worst part was she did all of it with her typical seductive charm and smile, which Syndra quite frankly found unsettling. She threw an orb, which Ahri took to be her opening. Dashing forward, Syndra was blown back by the force of her spirit orb, only to feel as though something was tearing into her back as the orb returned to it's owner The pain was incredible, but certainly not lethal. Syndra tried to run, but Ahri was faster. Syndra felt herself getting slowly whittled down, and realised she wasn't going to make it back to her tower. Ahri laughed her cute little laugh.

"Trying to leave me already? I was hoping we were going to have a little fun."

"Sorry fox, not today." The moment she heard the voice, Ahri started retreating to her tower, but having exhausted all her energy on dashing after Syndra it was slow going, and Zed was significantly faster. In an instant Ahri was surrounded by shadows, blurs of darkness enveloping her, the simple touch upon her skin causing it to rip and bleed. She collapsed to the ground, utterly defeated.

"That's hardly fair, I was just about to have some fun." Zed knelt down and gently kissed her cheek.

"Maybe another time, but I'm afraid this one is mine." She managed out a small wink before her eyes rolled back and her soul returned to the fountain. Zed laid her down gently, standing up and walking over to Syndra.

"You're welcome." Syndra allowed herself to fall to the ground, stopping her hover, then stood on her tiptoes so she could lightly peck the cold metal of his helmet. Zed laughed behind his helmet.

"I'll see you after the game." And with that Zed took off, returning to top lane with a nice little kill in his pocket. He couldn't remember ever feeling happier than he did right now, and to think it was because of one person, and a mage no less! Zed smiled to himself as he finally returned to lane, leaping at the now behind Nautilus for an easy second kill, mind still stuck firmly on Syndra. He couldn't wait to see her after this game, and after every other game that followed.

* * *

 **Thanks a bunch for sticking with the really slow and inconsistent update times, and I hope you enjoyed the story.**

 **As always, RFF and make my day :)**

 **BJ**


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